Batman Beyond: The Night Angel
by pyps
Summary: Loss of loved ones, a new girl in town, new villains, and, wouldn't ya know, a new super hero. How is Terry going to take all of this?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Fury, Hanna, and Identity

Terry looked at the clock. It was one thirty in the morning. He had been lying there trying to get to sleep for the past three hours. After a final attempt to fall asleep he finally got out of bed and began to quietly put on a shirt, pants, socks and shoes. He grabbed his jacket and then snuck over to the window. Making sure to open it carefully so as to avoid too much noise, Terry slipped out the window and down the fire escape to the street below. Once at the bottom, Terry made his way towards the other side of town.

As time passed by and the seconds became minutes, and the minutes became hours Terry thought about the person who he was going to see. She was such a beautiful girl. He had met her six months ago and ever since then couldn't stop thinking about her. Her name was Hanna and as far as Terry knew she had moved in from Chicago just a few days prior to their meeting. She liked soccer and Chinese food, and her favorite pastime was reading a book or chatting online. She also liked to spend her time with Terry. There seemed to barely be a moment when the two of them weren't together, leastways, when Terry wasn't busy saving Gotham. He really truly thought that he loved Hanna.

When Terry reached the gate he slipped through it and began the walk through the cemetery. He was close, he knew it, he had walked this cemetery so many times he could draw a detailed map of it. When he saw the tombstone he stopped.

_Hanna Thompson February 5, 2022-March 7, 2039 _

_Loved by all who knew her,_

_Her presence in this world will_

_Most assuredly be missed._

Terry pulled back some weeds that had begun to grow in front of the tombstone and revealed the final message.

_I will always love you._

Tears threatened behind his eyes but they did not fall. The same tears had been there since the day it happened. Six weeks to be exact. Ever since that day Terry wasn't the same. He had more adrenaline when fighting, as if he believed that the villains Bruce Wayne sent him out to fight against were he ones that had killed his beloved Hanna. But Terry knew that that wasn't the case. Hanna had been killed by a man that Terry had never seen before, and who he was yet to meet a second time.

Terry clenched his hands in anger. How could someone do something like that? Why would anyone want to kill Hanna? Terry didn't care what the police report said; the killing had been no accident. Hanna's death happened for a reason and Terry was going to find out what it was. He remembered the story in the papers the following day. That he and Hanna had been out walking home from a movie and a man tried to rob them. Terry fought him off and in the process Hanna was killed.

The story was only partly true, although Terry had never bothered to tell the papers so. The man hadn't tried to rob them. No, he had gone after Hanna with a purpose, Terry saw it in his eyes; the look of accomplishment that one gets when finishing some sort of task. It was as though the man had been hunting her down for one reason or another.

The orange brightness of the sun began to reflect in Terry's eyes and he made his way back home. When he arrived he climbed back through his window changed out of his clothes and had just laid his head on the pillow when his alarm went off, telling him it was time to get ready for school. He hit the alarm lazily, waited a moment, and then pulled himself out of bed.

Bruce Wayne checked his watch. Terry was ten minutes late already. He hadn't been on time the past six weeks and Bruce was beginning to worry. Before the accident with Hanna it was a seldom, every now and then kind of thing for him to be late, but now it was consistent, every day, as if he didn't care.

"No," Bruce said. "It's not that, he's got too much adrenaline in each fight for it to be that, but what then?"

Just then Terry entered the cave. His eyes had bags under them and he was even paler than the day before. Bruce acknowledged his arrival. "You're…"

"Late," Terry finished. "I know."

The two were silent. Bruce sighed. "Terry," he said. "I know that you've been distracted the past six weeks, what with Hanna's accident…"

"That wasn't an accident Bruce," Terry told him defiantly. "And I'm gonna find the guy that did it and get some answers."

"And what are you going to do when your interrogation is done? Are you going to let him get away? Or are you going to get revenge, make him pay for what he did?"

"I don't know," Terry said. He turned his back to Bruce and shoved his hand in his pockets.

"Revenge is only going to ruin you. The pain you inflict upon the person that killed Hanna will not even be half of the pain you inflict on yourself."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Bruce shook his head. "Never mind," he said and then turned to the computer. "We've got a new comer to the crime employee list in Gotham." He pulled up a file with a picture of a man with tan skin and shades. "His name is Rush Fury. He wears the shades to hide his eyes, which are the color of lemons. If you stare too long at them it'll hypnotize you just long enough for him to attack you and if he gets you once, there's no guarantee you'll be able to stop him the next time."

"So I've gotta make sure I don't make eye contact then," Terry said.

"That's right. He's currently robbed two banks and a grocery store just down the street from your school. At the moment he's holding up at a warehouse just north of here." A map filled the screen. A blinking red light marked Rush Fury's location."

"I'm on it," Terry said. He grabbed the bat suit and as he was getting into the Batmobile Bruce said, "Be careful, and don't lose your focus for one minute."

Terry gave him a thumb's up and then took off. Bruce watched him fly away, a look of sadness possessing his face. He wished there was a way he could help Terry with whatever it was that was bothering him, but the best he could do was be there and not push him.

Terry reached the warehouse just ten minutes after leaving the Cave. He checked the perimeter to see if Rush Fury had any little bodyguard friends but found no one. He landed quietly on the roof of the warehouse. He then snuck to a door leading to a set of stairs that would take him to the ground floor of the building.

Once he reached the bottom Terry moved swiftly and silently, searching out his new adversary. The place reeked with the smell of stale air. Terry remembered reading an article that said this place would be torn down due to its instability. He just hoped it would last long enough for him to get this guy.

There was the sound of footsteps behind him and Terry quickly turned. There was nothing there. When he turned back around he came face to face with two bright yellow eyes. Forgetting Bruce's warning Terry stared into them, mesmerized at their color. After a moment he began to have the most fleeting feeling, as though he just got on a drug high or something. The world around him seemed to melt away and it was as though he was the only thing that existed in the entire universe.

That's when the attack came.

Terry flew back and hit the far wall. As he tried to stand Rush Fury reached him in the speed of light and knocked him down again. Terry's head began to spin and he collapsed onto his hands and knees. Rush stared down at him.

"Pathetic," he said. "And people told me you were the best. Ha!" He karate chopped Terry smack in the center of his back causing him to lie on his belly, the concrete floor cool to the touch. He felt a sharp pain in his ribs as Rush kicked him. Terry thought he heard one of his ribs start to crack. He reached out and pulled Rush's leg out from under him. He didn't hesitate one moment to stand before Rush's senses came back to him. Rush lunged at him but Terry dodged his hit causing his opponent to run his shoulder into the wall.

What happened next made Terry realize why he was called Rush _Fury_. Quick as a flash metallic claws erupted from Rush's suit and slashed Terry across the chest.

"Ahh!" Terry cried out. As he did so he had fully anticipated Bruce's urgent response and demand to know what had happened. Then he realized that his com-link had been turned off when he hit the wall. He ducked behind a row of metal shelves and turned it back on quickly.

_"Terry! I've been trying to get a hold of you! Did you make it to the warehouse?"_

"Yeah," he said, his voice filled with pain. It was quiet on the other end.

_"Terry, are you alright?"_

Before Terry could answer a nearby row of shelves came down with a crash. Luckily for Terry the row hadn't been his own, but it wouldn't take long for Rush Fury to get to him, and so he began to move through the maze of shelves trying to find a place where he could somehow apprehend Fury.

_"Terry, what's going on? What was that crash?"_

"I screwed up," Terry said. Somehow saying the words out loud felt like he'd been stabbed in the heart, although that wasn't much of a comparison seeing as how five claws had slashed him across the chest. Tears were threatening to fall, but he tried to hold them back.

Bruce had noticed the slight tremor in his voice when he'd said it. Something about those words had sunk deep into Terry's emotion mechanism and Bruce knew he was beginning to lose focus. "Terry," he said catching the attention of the teen. "Don't lose focus. What happened?"

_"I looked in his eyes. I was walking and I turned around and he was just there. I couldn't help it Bruce, I'm sorry."_

"Don't worry about it Terry, just find somewhere that'll give you an advantage over him. You're doing better than others have done."

Terry looked around and saw some large crates. He quickly climbed to the top of them and leaned against the wall. His torso ached, his head was pounding, and his brain was getting all muddled up and confused.

The sound of crashing shelves reached his ears and Terry withdrew further into the shadows so as to avoid Rush Fury's line of vision. Just a moment after doing so he saw him. The look on his face showed that of absolute outright anger and for once Terry was afraid he wouldn't make it out of the building alive.

_"Terry, have you positioned yourself?"_

"Yeah, I'm just waiting for him to get close enough."

Terry watched Rush carefully. It took nearly ten minutes before he was finally standing next to Terry's crate. Terry positioned himself ready for the pounce.

"I've got him,' Terry said. He didn't wait for Bruce's response before jumping onto Rush and knocking him to the ground. The two wrestled with each other, Terry watching Rush's hands very closely so as to avoid another razor sharp attack. However, what happened next was something Terry had _not_ been expecting.

From within the workings of his outfit, Rush withdrew a small device that sent an enormous shock of electricity through Terry's body. Terry let go of him and before he could act Rush's metallic claws gashed him across the back.

"AHH!"

_"Terry! What's happening? Are you alright? TERRY?"_

"Bruce," Terry said weakly, but he collapsed to the floor unconscious before getting the chance to finish his statement.

Rush stood over him. "Heh," he said. "To think, I'm going to be the one to tell everyone that I took out the Batman." He raised his hand into the air ready to strike Terry one last time when someone caught a hold of his arm. Before Rush could react he was thrown across the room. The impact he made with the wall caused the entire building to begin crumbling. The unknown individual that had just saved Terry's life picked him up, slung him over their back and hurried outside.

Bruce sat in the Cave worrying all the more about Terry.

"Terry," he said again. "Are you there? Terry answer me!"

After a moment of silence Bruce was just about to get up and find out what happened to him when a voice came over the com-link.

"Don't worry about your friend," the voice said. It was slightly distorted, so Bruce could not make out if it was male or female, let alone if the voice was familiar to him. "He's in good hands. I must say that you'll want to conceal his means of transportation however."

The transmission cut off. Bruce thought about what had just happened. Had Rush Fury been the one to say that? No, Bruce just knew it wasn't him. But who then? Barbara? No, she was out of town.

Whoever it was, Bruce had the inexplicable feeling that Terry _was _in good hands.

Terry drifted in and out of consciousness. For a few of the seconds that he was conscious he saw a person standing over him. They had impenetrable green eyes that seemed to stare right into your soul, and long brunette hair. Those were the only details he could make out before losing consciousness again.

The sound of machines alive with beeping confused Terry greatly. His eyelids seemed so heavy and as his senses slowly came to him he noted that he was in a bed. While it was comfortable the position he was laying in was not. He began to stir, but as he did pain seared his body and he stopped moving.

"Terry?"

He knew that voice. Terry slowly opened his eyes. He found himself staring up at a ceiling. He turned his head and saw his mother sitting beside him. Tears filled her eyes.

"Mom?" Terry mumbled still not entirely certain of how he got where he was. He looked around the room some more and realized that he was lying in a hospital bed. He tried to recall what happened after the fight against Rush Fury, but the only image that came to mind was those green eyes…

"How long have I been here?" he asked.

"You've been here about three days," Mrs. McGinnis said. "Matt went down to get something to eat from the vending machines. He should be back…"

Just as she was saying it Matt entered the room. He saw that Terry was awake and immediately his face lit up. "Terry!" he exclaimed. He rushed to his elder brother's bedside and would have hug him but remembered the injuries he had. "We were so worried!"

"What happened?"

"Well," his mother began. "You were on your way back from working with Mr. Wayne and that infamous Rush Fury ran into you. He gashed your chest and back, as well as broke one of your ribs. Lucky for you someone came by in time to prevent him from doing more than just injure you."

"Who was it?"

"They don't know," Matt said. "Some mysterious person wearing a black hooded cape. They said it sounded like a girl, probably in her teens, but they weren't sure. Funny thing is, when she brought you here you weren't wearing the clothes you wore to Mr. Wayne's. Of course, she did fix you up a little, and so she probably thought it best to bring you to the hospital in something decent rather than your shredded up clothes."

"Yeah, probably." At that moment Terry had a realization. It struck him so hard that he could feel the blood beginning to drain from his face.

"Terry?" Mrs. McGinnis asked. "Are you alright?"

"I'm just…tired."

Mrs. McGinnis kissed him on the forehead. "We'll let you sleep."

Not even a full sixty seconds after they left and started down the hall, Bruce Wayne came down the hall from the other direction. Mrs. McGinnis and Matt had turned the corner before Bruce had a chance to ask them about Terry. So, he went into the room.

Terry was sitting in the bed practically pale as a sheet. He was trembling slightly and Bruce wondered what had shaken him.

"Terry?" he said. The young man looked up at him. "Are you ok? You look a bit shaken up about something."

"The person that brought me to the hospital…"

Terry paused still trying to consume the whole idea.

"Yes?" Bruce said encouraging him to continue.

"They know who Batman really is."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: The New Girl

It was another two days before Terry was ready to get back to school. Well, for the most part that is. Physically he was ready, but emotionally, he still had a long ways to go. He was still stewing over Hanna's death, and at the moment, he wasn't sure he'd ever stop hurting.

He closed the locker and headed for his first class. As he rounded the corner he came face to face with Dana.

"Hey Ter," she said.

"Hi," he responded.

Bruce sat down at the computer and began hitting buttons. If Terry ever found out about what Bruce was doing, he knew that he'd be in for it. While he could probably kick Terry's butt, Bruce was getting old and Terry had more fight in him lately. The small camera and listening device he had embedded in Terry's jacket was so miniscule that it would hardly be noticed, but if Bruce wasn't careful Terry could always find out. He had surgically installed the device while Terry was out fighting Rush Fury. Bruce wanted to keep an eye on him and make certain that he didn't get into any trouble.

As the computer screen turned on, Dana's face popped up. Bruce glared at the computer. While Dana was beautiful to be sure, he never really liked her, and he didn't know why Terry did, although he'd never tell him so. The two of them were no longer dating, but Bruce never did find out if it was her or him that had broken it off, and so to avoid a possible conflict with the teen, he kept quiet.

Bruce watched and listened carefully as the conversation between Terry and Dana unfolded.

"How've you been?" Dana said smiling sweetly.

Terry shrugged. "Fine," he said. "You?"

"I've been good."

The two of them stood there a moment. "I'd better get to class," Terry said and he began to walk away but Dana caught his arm.

"I was wondering if you'd like to hang out tonight," she said. "You know, go get some pizza or something, maybe catch a movie."

Terry stood directly in front of her. "Dana," he said seriously. "We're not together anymore, remember? Besides, what about Carl?"

"Carl and I broke up five days ago. You were in the hospital and I realized that I wanted to be with you, not him."

"Funny, I don't recall you ever visiting me," Terry said bitterly.

"Well, hello you were unconscious for three days!"

"Yeah, but my mom would have told me if you had visited Dana!"

"Look," Dana said letting out a frustrated sigh. "I just thought that since you and Hanna, you know…"

Terry stared at her, not quite certain of what she was going to say. She sighed again. "You haven't been seeing anyone lately Terry. You haven't even been doing any non-serious dating."

"Maybe I just don't want to date Dana," Terry said his frustration and anger building up.

Dana gave him a pessimistic look. "It's been six weeks Terry!" she said fiercely. "She's gone, alright? _Hanna is gone!_ Just get over yourself and move on!"

"What, with you?"

"Yeah, maybe!"

"Look! I _don't _want to talk about this Dana! You keep telling me to move on, well why don't you do it yourself!" Terry turned on his heel and stormed off down the hallway.

Bruce cut the transmission. His hands were clenched into fists and he was heaving as though the argument he had just witnessed had been his own. Sometimes, a lot of the time, Dana just made Bruce want to throw someone off a cliff.

"You seem upset about something."

Bruce whirled around to find Barbara Gordon walking towards him. He straightened. "Just something on the computer," he said tightly.

"I know," Barbara said raising an eyebrow. She walked over to the computer and stared at it. "Keeping tabs on your assistant I see."

"I just want to make sure he stays out of trouble."

Barbara sighed. "Bruce," she said turning around. "I understand your concern, believe me, I've been just as worried. My vacation really didn't feel like much of one seeing as how I spent the large majority of it worrying about Mr. McGinnis and how we was faring. But the truth of the matter is Bruce, no matter how worried we are, or how much we're just itching to know, invading Terry's privacy isn't the way to get answers."

"An argument in the school hallway isn't exactly private Barbara."

"No, but if Terry wanted you to know about this stuff he'd tell you about it, or have you there beside him. The kid's gotta grow up Bruce. He has big shoes to fill and he's not going to get the job done if you're shading his growth."

"What do you mean?"

Barbara shook her head. "McGinnis has been through loss before. His father was killed, he was able to figure out what happened and get his 'revenge' so to speak on the men responsible. He was right there when Hanna was killed, and he doesn't even know where to start on his investigation. He doesn't know who did it, where they are now, or why it happened. This not knowing is killing him Bruce, it's killing his spirit and his will. But despite that fact, you have to let him get through it on his own. Be there for him when he needs the support, but let him come to you. Don't be watching is every move."

"Killing his will?"

"I've talked to Mary McGinnis. I actually saw her the day Terry was released from the hospital. She told me that the past six and a half weeks have been weeks of practically no sleep, and very little food for him. He's so wrapped up in what happened that he can't focus on school; his grades have gone from an A- average to a C+ average. The only field of his life that's going well is his role as Batman. Personally I think there's something that happened that night that Terry won't talk about."

Bruce sat down and rubbed the brim of his nose. "What do I do Barbara?"

"Just what I said: Let him come to you. Let him know that you're there _when he's ready._"

Barbara turned and left leaving Bruce to contemplate what she'd said.

At lunch Terry went to his usual spot; a table in the back left corner of the lunchroom. Nobody ever sat there, and Terry found that it gave him the kind of quiet solitude he wanted. He sat and ate his lunch thinking about the fight he'd had with Dana. She was kind of a flaky girl, which is why he'd stopped seeing her. He realized that her frustration sometimes came with the fact that he was Batman and couldn't spend time with her. Although she didn't know his reasons, he'd hoped she would understand about his job at least. Hanna had done that. She learned that the job Terry had, whatever it had been, was important to him for one reason or another, and so she accepted that he'd run off now and then, be late on occasion, even stand her up. But she didn't care. She simply took advantage of every moment she had with him.

Terry had been so deep in thought that he hadn't noticed a girl walking up to him.

"Excuse me?" she said politely. Terry jumped slightly and looked at her. She smiled. "Sorry," she said. "I was just wondering if I might sit here."

"Sure," Terry said. The girl sat down. "I'm Terry."

"Rylana," she replied. She shook Terry's hand.

"I haven't seen you around before."

"No, I just moved here."

"Really? Where from?"

"Chicago, Illinois."

Terry stared at her. Chicago…Hanna was from Chicago…

"Are you ok?"

Terry shook his head. "Sorry," he said. "It's just that…someone I know was from Chicago."

"I see."

Terry knew Chicago was a big place, but he thought he'd ask his next question anyway. "Did you happen to know a Hanna Thompson?" he asked cautiously.

Rylana nodded. "Yeah, she and I were best friends. She moved, and I had only gotten two or three letters before…" Rylana stopped and looked down. Terry did the same. Rylana's face lit up as though a sudden realization had come to her. "You're Terry McGinnis, aren't you?"

"Yeah."

"Hanna told me about you." She stopped. "I'm sorry about…what happened and all…"

"Don't be," Terry told her, although looking at her face it seemed as though she were truly sorry, as if she were the one responsible. Typically Terry would immediately suspect her, but there was something about her eyes…beautiful green eyes that seemed so open, so true, that he couldn't help but trust her. He didn't' know what it was, just that she was safe.

"So how long have you been in Gotham?" he asked her.

"About three weeks. I was home schooled when I first got here, then my mother finally decided to let me come to Hamilton. She would have preferred my attending a private school. Let's just say it took nearly a week to finally get her consent."

Terry smiled. "Difficult parent huh?"

"The worst; she thinks she can be in any and everyone's business. She also thinks that she can say whatever she wants to whenever she wants to, no matter whom it affects. Needless to say, the two of us have never really gotten along well."

"What about your dad?"

"He and my mom split up when I was eight. He's living over in England right now. He's actually British native. Anyhow, my mother met him on a trip to England and he fell in love with her. At least, he fell in love with the woman she _portrayed_ herself to be. He married her and figured out just what she was really like. It took him eight years to finally get a divorce and move back. I still see him now and then, but my parents have joint custody, and unfortunately my mother is the parent I am required to spend the most time with. My dad is also busy with his research."

"Research?"

"Yeah, he's a scientist. He was always doing experiments. I loved visiting him in his lab. Even after my parents split up I still went there as often as I could. That is, until he moved."

"That's cool," Terry said. He looked up at one of the televisions on the wall. The school had installed the televisions when Terry began making his debut as Batman. The TV's had all been preset to the popular news channel and the students enjoyed keeping up with the crime fighter and the villains he went up against. It also helped Terry to keep up on what he was dealing with, although he hadn't been watching the news lately.

_"Last night a robbery took place at Sadie's Book Store," _the anchorwoman reported. _"Three men in masks came into the store at nine forty-five, just fifteen minutes before closing time. They were armed and demanded that Mrs. Hawkins empty the cash register. As the men exited the store, the Night Angel arrived, quickly apprehending them and returning what they had taken. Before news crews and the police could arrive however, she left the premises. We have Jon Hendricks reporting from the scene. Jon."_

_"Thank you Anne, I'm here with Mrs. Sadie Hawkins, owner of Sadie's Book Store. Sadie, tell us, did you get a good look at the Night Angel?"_

_"Well,"_ Mrs. Hawkins, an elderly lady in her mid to late sixties began, _"It was fairly dark; the street lamp has been out for weeks. I've told the city council they should replace the bulb but it hasn't happened just yet. Anyways, from the looks of it the Night Angel was wearing a black cloak, pants, and shirt. I couldn't see their face though."_

_"In your own opinion, what sex is the Night angel do you reckon?"_

_"I'd say female, either that or a very slim male. I don't think she could have been too old though, maybe her mid twenties or so."_

_"Thank you very much Mrs. Hawkins." _Jon Hendricks turned back to the camera. _"Well there you have it ladies and gentleman, the same description that has been given by other witnesses; slim, black attire, aged anywhere between 16-25 years of age, and most likely female. Back to you Anne."_

_"Thanks Jon. I'm going to pose the same question that has been on everyone's mind the past two weeks: Who is the Night Angel? And what brought him or her here to Gotham, or should I say, what made them decide to 'come out of the closet?' This is Anne Porter for Channel 17 News." _

That was a good question. Who _was _the Night Angel? Was he, or she, a friend or foe? As Terry thought about these questions, he remembered what Matt had said about the person that had dropped him off at the hospital.

_"Some mysterious person wearing a black hooded cape. They said it sounded like a girl, probably in her teens, but they weren't sure…"_

The lunch bell rang and Terry was pulled from his thoughts. He dumped the tray of food he hadn't eaten and picked up his bag.

"What's your next class?" Rylana asked him.

"Gym," he said. "Yourself?"

"Same," Rylana said smiling. "I guess it's safe to say you'll show me how to get there?"

Terry smiled. "Yeah," he said. They walked towards the gymnasium and as they did Terry's mind was reeling with everything he'd just heard. He was anxious for school to finally end for the day so that he could talk to Bruce.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Encounter With The Night Angel

"Well," Bruce said. "I talked to Barbara, but she knows about as much as we do."

Terry and Bruce were in the Cave. They'd been discussing the Night Angel, trying to come up with some sort of explanation for its appearance in Gotham. So far, all they had gathered was what the Police reports and the News had said; black attire, 16-25 years old, female, possibly male, and with each crime it stopped, the Night Angel left something behind. It was a small golden ring, nothing really out of the ordinary. There were about twelve golden rings sitting in the Police Departments evidence lockers. Forensics' reports on the rings proved that they were in fact bronze rings painted with two layers of gold, much like the cheep rings you'd get out of a 25¢ machine.

"Whoever it is," he said. "They've got money to spare it seems."

"Yeah," Terry said. "Three dollars worth, really rich…"

"Quit being cheeky."

Terry shut up. He didn't want to get into an argument with Bruce, not with there having been so much that happened within the past week. As Terry thought about Bruce's last comment he remembered Rylana.

"I met someone today," Terry said. His arms were folded across his chest and he was leaning sideways against the computer. Bruce turned to him. "Really?" he said. "Who is it?"

"Her name's Rylana," Terry replied. He stared at Bruce seriously. "She was Hanna's best friend from Chicago."

Bruce didn't know how to respond. At his silence Terry continued.

"She moved here three weeks ago. Her parents are divorced. Her mom…I don't know what she does for a living, but her and Rylana don't get along very well. Her dad is a scientist and lives in England."

"Hmm," Bruce said. "Well, it's nice to know you're getting social again."

Terry stood straight. His eyebrows knit together slightly. "What do you mean?" he asked. Bruce, realizing his mistake, simply shook his head. "Never mind," he told him. "It's not important. Your mother called before you got here and she wants you to pick up the cake for your Great Aunt's birthday tomorrow night."

Terry made a face that indicated how much he did _not _want to see his Great Aunt. Great Aunt Gretchen was always so prim and proper. She admired Matt for how he was always a good student and seemed to be the perfect angel. She loathed Terry for his misbehavior and rebellious teenage years. She never let him live it down, no matter how much he changed.

"I take it you and Great Aunt Gretchen don't get along," Bruce said slightly amused.

"She hates me," Terry explained. "And quite frankly, the feeling is mutual. I mean, I can sometimes stand her, so long as she isn't talking to or about me, which is hardly ever."

"I see, well, you won't have to worry too much. Your mother invited me to the party."

Terry gave a sly smile. "Oh," he said. "You'll just _love _Aunt Gretchen to death…"

The following night at five thirty, Bruce Wayne arrived at the McGinnis residence. He had a card and small trinket for Mrs. Hanson, Terry's aunt, thinking that it would only be proper and polite to attend someone's birthday party and get them a gift. He rang the doorbell and just moments later Matt opened the door.

"Hi Mr. Wayne!" Matt said excitedly. He stepped aside so that Bruce could come in. After being quite the gentleman and taking Bruce's coat, Matt hurried back over to his mother. Bruce looked around and spotted Terry sitting on the couch with a book in hand.

"How's the reading?" Bruce asked as he looked over Terry's shoulder. Terry nearly jumped out of his skin, throwing the book into the air. Bruce chuckled and Terry glared at him.

"A small forewarning wouldn't kill you," Terry said setting the book on the coffee table. Bruce read the title.

"J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings.' Hmm, I can see you're into the classics."

Terry rolled his eyes at Bruce's comment. "At least it's not Pride and Prejudice."

"Pride and Prejudice was considered a classic in my day and it's since been called ancient."

Terry laughed. The doorbell rang again and Terry turned just as Matt opened the door to admit Great Aunt Gretchen Hanson. Immediately Terry made the same face he had at the Cave.

"Great," he said. "She's half an hour early. You'd think she could be kind to me and at least show up on time, or better yet, late. The less time I have to spend with her the better."

Bruce clapped him on the shoulder. "Come on," he said. "Let's meet this old bag of a Great Aunt of yours."

"I'll tell you now; you'd better hold your breath."

Bruce looked at him quizzically. They walked over to Gretchen Hanson and waited patiently for their turn to give greetings. When she noticed them she strolled over to them. With Mrs. Hanson came a very distinct aroma; daffodils and lavender. The woman was reeking with the stench of flowers and other springy scents. Bruce gagged a little and coughed.

"Are you alright Mr. Wayne?" Aunt Gretchen asked. "Have you got a cold?"

"No," Bruce said. "Just swallowed…some gum I was chewing earlier."

Terry did his best to keep a straight face. Aunt Gretchen looked at him. "Well," she said. "You haven't improved much in appearance I must say since I last saw you. I would assume that your mannerisms are after the same likeness." She turned and walked over to Mary McGinnis.

Terry turned to Bruce. "I told you so," he said. Bruce shook his head. The doorbell rang again and this time it was Barbara Gordon who entered.

"Barbara," Bruce said walking over to her with Terry trailing not far behind. "Nice to see you again. What are you doing here?"

"Gretchen and I went to high school together," Barbara said. "We were in the school musical."

"You were in a _musical_?" Terry asked incredulously.

Barbara laughed and nodded. "That's right McGinnis, Barbara Gordon: Gotham PD Commissioner, Actor, and Singer. No performances tonight however."

Bruce and Terry smiled.

"Terry," Mary McGinnis said walking over to them. "You should go sit with your Aunt a moment." Terry's eyes went wide. "Come now Terry, you haven't seen her in six months. The two of you should catch up."

"I'm not going to spend time talking with that…" Terry began but Mary gave him a stern look. He let out a sigh and went over to Aunt Gretchen. She looked up at him and squinted.

"What do _you_ want?" she asked.

Terry took the chair next to her. "I haven't seen you in six months, so I thought we should catch up."

"Mm hmm…right you did. I saw your mother talking to you. Did she have to bribe you to get you to come sit by me and 'chat'? What did she tell you? 'If you talk to your Aunt Gretchen you'll be permitted to go out with your no good friends for an evening?' Humph, you probably couldn't care less about this 'old bag' I believe is the term. Foolish child."

Terry took a deep breath doing his best not to blow up. "My mom didn't bribe me to come sit with you," he said tightly. "She did _ask _me to come over, but that's all she did."

"I'm not a fool young man," Aunt Gretchen exclaimed, although she kept her voice low enough that people would not stare. "Of course rugged teens such as yourself would not believe that would you? You are all too self-centered to worry about anyone but you. Your brother Matt, now he's such a sweet boy; _Always_ getting good grades. _Never _getting into trouble at school. _Never_ causing your mother so much grief she needs a vacation. And Matt _never _treated me with disrespect. He _always _treated your father with such high regard, _never _arguing with him or insulting him, or…"

Terry had had enough. He stood up abruptly, moving his chair slightly. He walked into the kitchen, fully aware of the eyes that were watching him. He placed his hands on the sink leaning against it and thinking about what she'd said.

_"Your brother Matt, now he's such a sweet boy._ Always _getting good grades._ Never _getting into trouble at school…" _

Her last comment had been the one that stung the most.

_"He_ always_ treated your father with such high regard,_ never_ arguing with him or insulting him…"_

Tears rolled down Terry's cheeks as he remembered the last things he ever said to his father. As his body began to shake with sobs his mother walked in.

"Terry," she began. "What in the world…?" She stopped noticing that her son was crying. She went over to him quickly. "Terry?" she said. "What's wrong sweetheart?"

"Oh mom…" was all Terry could say. So much pain was filling his soul, but he couldn't let it out. Why not? Why couldn't he let it out? This was something that he questioned himself about daily.

Mary put an arm around her son. There was the sound of the doorbell ringing and someone opening the door. Mary did not want to leave her broken son's side, but she had guests to receive and the position of hostess was calling to her. "When you're ready come on out," she said. "I'll be sure no one bothers you until then."

Mary left and as the kitchen door closed Terry straightened. He walked over to the refrigerator where a magnetic mirror hung on it. He waited for the redness in his eyes to leave and then went back out into the living area.

When Terry stepped out he spotted someone he hadn't expected to see. He walked over to them.

"Rylana?" Terry said.

Rylana turned to him and smiled. "Terry!" she exclaimed. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, my mom knows your Aunt Gretchen. The two of them were at a summer camp when they she was in like, seventh grade or something and they've been writing ever since. Well, actually, your Aunt was a counselor there and my mom was a camper."

"Aunt Gretchen, a camp counselor? That's a shock and a half."

"I know," Rylana said. "Imagined how shocked I was to find out that my mother, prim, perfect, and in ever sense of the word, _girlie_, attending an outdoor girl's camp. I was surprised to say the least."

Terry smiled. He felt better knowing that while he still had to bear Aunt Gretchen's taunting and unkind words there was someone there his age that he could talk to. He and Rylana walked over to one of the couches and took a seat. They talked about how their days had gone and about Hamilton High and the ups and downs of living in Gotham and Chicago.

At 7:30 Mary McGinnis emerged from the kitchen with the birthday cake Terry had picked up in her arms. As she came out everyone began to sing "Happy Birthday."

"Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday Dear Gretchen,

Happy birthday to…"

There was a loud bang on the door. Everyone looked at it, uncertain of what to do. The banging came again. Mary looked around the room and gave a look that said, "Don't answer it." The silence was so complete you could have heard a pin drop. The hearts of every person in the room were beating fast and loudly in their chests.

The banging stopped and all in attendance at the party held their breath, praying that whoever it had been had decided to leave. The clocked ticked away the seconds into minutes, and after what seemed like an eternity, slowly people began to relax. But, when people are at their most comfortable, they are at their most vulnerable.

The door came crashing open and immediately five masked men with weapons entered the house. The last to enter closed the door. As he turned around he spoke. "Are we interrupting?" he said. Terry could see the smile playing on his lips. The intruder looked at the cake. "Ooh," he said. "It's a party eh? Now how come _we _weren't invited? Mrs. Hanson, you should know better than to leave people out of a party. A woman as rich as yourself could afford it I'm sure."

The last sentence was said with such bitterness the hair on the back of Terry's neck stood on end. Something about his Aunt had turned these men against her, although Terry wasn't surprised that they felt bitter towards this woman. However, with how much he simply loathed his aunt, he couldn't ever imagine coming into her home or into the home of one of her family members armed and publicly make a fool of her.

Aunt Gretchen stood up from her chair. "What do you want?" she demanded.

The leader of the pack laughed. "Why do people _get _into the kidnapping business?" he asked. "_The money_, of course."

Barbara went to press a button on her belt that automatically summoned police officers to whatever location she was at, but one of the masked men grabbed her by the wrist. "Uh, uh, uh Comish," he said. Bruce went to rescue his friend, but one of the intruders hit him across the back with one of their weapons. People gasped and Terry could see the terror in their eyes. He had to get to the bat suit. While he could take them on right now, the suit gave him a bit of extra protection and it was equipped with gadgets that he could use to his advantage. He had to draw the intruders' attention away from him.

Terry reached into his pocket and pulled out a small stone. Matt had been on a rock collecting fetish the past few days and Terry thought it was a neat one for his little brother to add to his collection. While the attention of the trespassers was occupied for a moment, Terry threw the rock at a vase he had made for his mother in junior high. The vase shattered and immediately all eyes were turned to it. Terry slipped out of the room as quickly as possible.

The leader walked over to the shattered vase and saw the stone. He picked it up and then looked at the nearby window. It was open, which meant that it was possible for someone to have thrown the stone into the house without inflicting damage to the window itself. He motioned to one of his men to look out the window. Upon scanning the area he shook his head and returned to his place. The leader stood.

"Now," he said. "We'd heard Mrs. Hanson, owner of the Hanson hotel in L.A. was here and we decided that a little money to be paid for the ransom of Mrs. Hanson wouldn't be missed by her bank account, now would it?" Everyone was silent. The leader walked over to Gretchen and grabbed her tightly around the arm. He began to head for the door. "If any of you try to follow us, or if you send word to the police before we get the chance to tell them what we want, we'll kill her."

The leader looked to make sure everyone "understood" what he was saying. He straightened and continued towards the door. As the witnesses watched him open the door, they saw him suddenly fly back as if hit by something. At that moment Batman entered the room.

"Party's over boys," Batman said.

The other four accomplices ran at Batman. He leapt into the air and high kicked two of them. As the remaining numbskulls came at him he punched them each in the jaw. They flew across the room and hit the wall. Both were knocked unconscious.

Bruce watched in surprise. How did Terry get out of the room? Then he remembered the vase. _He's learning to think on his feet,_ Bruce thought. _Good._

Bruce saw the chief kidnapper stand up. He was coming at Terry from behind. "Ter…Batman, watch out!" Bruce called out, but it was too late. Just as Terry turned the masked man hit him square in the gut. Terry crouched slightly and as he did the intruder hit him upside the head with a bat. Terry stumbled and fell against the wall. Everything was going blurry and he couldn't seem to focus. He saw the shadow of the unknown man coming towards him, bat in hand, but he couldn't straighten his thoughts out enough to do anything about it.

"And people said the Bat was the worst one to go up against," he said. "Now that I can see you for myself I know you're just pathetic and weak." He raised his bat and brought it down. Inches before hitting Terry the bat stopped. The man saw a hand clenched around it. It ripped the bat from him. The kidnapper looked up and saw a cloaked figure standing there. She had her hood down and was wearing black leather pants and a black skin tight t-shirt. She wore a mask that reminded those who watched her of Zorro.

"Who are you?" the man asked, sounding less sure of himself. The girl high kicked him in the chest.

"Someone who doesn't appreciate the tormenting of the elderly," she said. She picked him up by the front of the shirt. The man kneed her in the gut and she dropped him. He went to get her again but she jumped into the air and did a flip over the top of his head. He turned around.

"What the heck are you?" he demanded.

She smiled. "Complicated," she said. As though someone had turned a movie onto fast-forward she began punching and kicking the man until he fell over unconscious. She walked over to Terry and helped him stand. "Are you alright Batman?" she asked.

Terry nodded. "Thanks Night Angel," he said.

She smiled. There was the sound of a Police siren and the Night Angel turned her head. Barbara had called for back up when Batman had arrived and they just showed up. Night Angel hurried to a nearby window and exited the house. Terry followed her knowing full well that Bruce was behind him, willing him not to. But Terry had to talk to her some more.

He followed the Night Angel to the outskirts of town. She did not notice him; at least he thought she didn't. When the two of them reached the familiar gate Terry stopped. She was going into the cemetery. He followed her to one of the graves and eerily enough, it was the exact same route he took every time he came here.

Night Angel stared at Hanna's grave. She looked sad. "Nobody should have to die the way you did," she said. After a moment of silence she said, "It isn't polite to spy on people Batman."

Terry knew he was caught. He came out from behind a nearby tree and stood next to her. "Did you know her?" Terry asked.

Night Angel nodded. "We went to school together in Chicago," she said.

"Do you know her friend Rylana?"

Night Angel smiled. "Yeah, the two of them were the best of friends. Couldn't' ever see one of them without the other, and when you did it was a very rare occasion. The two were like sisters. Sisters that no matter what came along in their lives, no matter the differences they shared, they were always happy and smiling, never arguing or feeling bitter towards each other."

Terry smiled. "I can see that," he said. "Hanna was a great girl."

"You knew her?"

Terry nodded. "I met her once," he lied not wanting to give Night Angel a chance to dig into his history.

A bell in the nearby church tolled midnight.

"You'd best get home," Night Angel said.

"You as well," Terry responded.

"I wanted to stay a while."

Terry nodded and left the girl alone. When he got back to his house he snuck into his bedroom window, changed out of his clothes, and then climbed into bed.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: A Rush of Fury and a Punch of Hate

When Terry awoke the next morning his mother asked him what had happened to him at the party. He told her that he was the one who threw the stone and that while the intruders' attention was occupied he slipped out of the room, out his bedroom window and saw Batman nearby doing his nightly rounds. He told Batman about what was happening and then Batman told him to head towards Police HQ. While he was on his way there, he saw the cop cars drive by heading towards the house. He thought about turning back, but needed to take a walk and relieve himself of the jitters he acquired during the hold up.

"Well," Mary McGinnis had said. "Next time please let me know the you'll be out walking. I'd like a forewarning."

Terry was walking down the hall towards his locker when he heard his name.

"Terry!"

He turned to see Rylana coming towards him. He smiled.

"Hey," he said. As he greeted his new friend Terry noticed Dana talking with Chelsea. She saw Rylana and Terry talking and stared in disbelief at the two of them. Terry turned back to Rylana.

"So what did _you _think of the whole party thing?" he asked. The two of them turned and walked the opposite direction from Dana.

"Well," she said. "Since you took the liberty of leaving, Batman came in and he was doing really great but then the stupid leader of the pack of nitwits came up behind him and eventually Batman ended up on the ground. Then just as he was about to get hit by the guy again, the Night Angel came. She kicked the guy's butt pretty good too. After that the two of them went out the window."

"Hmm," Terry said. "Interesting." Hearing the story had been like deja vou to him.

They reached Terry's class.

"Well," Rylana said. "I'll see you later Terry."

"Yeah." Rylana only got a few steps when Terry called to her. "Rylana?"

She turned to look at him. "Yeah?"

He walked over to her. "I kinda need to get out and do something. I'm trying to get away from…some stuff. Would you mind coming for a drive after school?" At the expression of what seemed like unbelieving shock he added, "Just as friends of course, nothing more than that."

Rylana nodded. "Alright," she said. "I'm ok with that."

He smiled. "Thanks."

The two of them then parted ways.

Bruce once again found himself watching his assistant's every move. He turned off the screen once Terry entered the classroom. _She seems nice,_ he thought. _Better than Dana, but I don't think I trust her. She's hiding something; I can see it in her eyes._

Ace came over and laid his head on Bruce's lap. Bruce rubbed his head. "What do you think?" he asked bringing up the last image of Rylana. "Can we trust her?"

Ace licked Bruce's hand in consent. Bruce sighed. "Of course, you're a dog, how would you be certain?"

Ace turned and left Bruce's side. Bruce shook his head smiling slightly.

Rylana shut her locker and was about to meet Terry in front of the school when she ran into Dana. Rylana had never had talked to Dana before, but she had a few classes with her so she knew who she was.

"Hi," Rylana said.

"Hi," Dana said in a somewhat satirical tone. "I understand that you and Terry are hanging out this afternoon."

"Yeah," Rylana said. "Is there a problem with that?"

Dana let out a laugh. "Do you really think he'll ever like you?" she asked.

"Excuse me?"

"Come on, you really expect me to think that there isn't more to this relationship than simply 'we've met each other and have a class or two together'?"

"If you think that Terry and I are going out you're wrong. He just wants to be friends, he said so himself."

"_He _may just want to be friends, but do _you _just want to be friends?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb with me! I see the way you look at him. You want him I can see it. Well guess what? You don't have a snowball's chance in hell with him."

"Not that I really care if he likes me or not," Rylana said with a slight edge to her voice. "But what makes you think that?"

"Just look at yourself. You're this new girl with no friends. You have nothing to back you up except probably some geek clubs or something. Terry has options that are a thousand times better than you."

That stung. Rylana had been insulted before, but Hanna had always been there to laugh it off with her and make a joke of it. This time there was no Hanna to comfort her. She tried to think of a way to make Dana's insults jokes, but Hanna had been the one that was good at that.

Rylana turned and walked away. As she turned the corner she began to regret it. She thought up a hundred different retorts she could have used, but for some reason or other, they hadn't come until just then. She willed the tears behind her eyes to remain there.

Terry looked at his watch. Rylana had said she'd meet him in front of the school at 2:55. It was now 3:05. He looked around and saw Rylana hurrying out of the building. He went over to her.

"Rylana," he said. She looked at him. "Ready to go?"

Rylana's voice caught and it took her a minute to answer. "Terry," she began. "I…can't." Terry looked at her confused. "What?" he asked. She just stared at him. "Why not?"

Rylana heard doors open as Dana and Chelsea walked out with some of their friends. She turned back to Terry as Dana caught her eye. "I just…can't. I'm sorry." She hurried past him and turned towards her house. Terry looked in Dana's direction. He saw her looking after Rylana with a smirk on her face.

Terry's anger grew. He strode over to Dana just as they reached the sidewalk.

"Hey Terry," Dana said as she saw him.

"What did you say to her?" Terry asked the anger evident on his face.

Chelsea and the others said goodbye to Dana and left the two of them alone to talk. "What did I say to who?" Dana asked.

"Rylana, what did you say to her?"

"What makes you think I said anything to her?"

"Dana! I told you already we're not together anymore! Quit messing with my life!"

"Oh, are you saying you _like_ Rylana?"

"No! I don't like Rylana, but apparently you think I do because you said something to her and now she won't come and hang out with me today!"

"Terry, the last time we got into a fight I got the picture! You want me to leave your love life alone, fine! That's what I've been doing! I don't' care whether or not you hang out with other girls! You could go out with the ugliest girl in all of Gotham and I wouldn't do anything!"

Terry stared at her.

"Look," Dana said setting down her bag. "I thought about what you said, and you're right. We _both _need to move on. But just because we have to move on, doesn't mean we can't be friends. I want to be your friend Terry. I realize now that if it would've worked than we never would have broken up. Not to mention our relationship wasn't exactly the most perfect in the book. But we can still have a great friendship. That's all I want Terry."

Terry looked at her. "You didn't say anything to Rylana?" he asked.

Dana shook her head. "No, I didn't."

Terry looked down. "I'm sorry for accusing you."

Dana smiled. "It's alright."

"Would you like a ride home?"

"Sure."

The two of them walked to his car and drove away from the school.

Rylana walked briskly. She didn't know where she was going, for she didn't' want to have to bear her mother's company at the moment, and she had just told Terry no. As she walked she heard the sound of a car coming up behind her. She turned and watched as Terry drove by in his car with Dana sitting in the front seat.

Terry turned the corner and Rylana could feel her heart breaking into a thousand pieces. She turned a different direction and headed towards the outskirts of town. She didn't want to go home, and she was beginning to regret ever coming to Gotham.

Throughout the rest of the week Terry didn't talk to Rylana. Dana had told him that perhaps the reason she had said no was that she really had changed her mind. As the two talked it eventually led to maybe Rylana wasn't so great a friend after all. Terry felt badly coming to a conclusion about what had happened without really knowing the truth, but he was too upset because of the twisted words Dana had said to him.

"If she wants you to treat her like a friend again," Dana said as they all sat together. "Then she should come to you. She's the one that told you no, she should be the one crawling back, not you."

Terry looked across the cafeteria at Rylana. She was sitting alone again. He watched her carefully and could see that the expression on her face was that of sadness. Or was it regret? There were so many emotions present in her face that he couldn't tell which she was feeling.

_Maybe she's feeling all of them,_ he thought.

Bruce's curiosity got the better of him. He turned on the computer and again observed his assistant's movements. When Rylana had said no to going on a drive with him Bruce had begun to feel that it really was getting too personal. So, he turned off the computer and only used it when Terry needed information about any crime that was taking place. Now as he had nothing to do, he wanted to know how Terry was. He found out that him and Dana were talking again and he wanted to see what would happen with the two of them.

He watched the screen and sat in his chair listening to the arguments his conscience was having with his curiosity.

_I shouldn't' be doing this. Like Barbara said, it's invading his privacy._

_But I want to know if he and Dana are getting back together._

_Why should it matter? That's his life, his choice, his problem._

_The relationship could affect his work._

_What am I saying?_

The battle in Bruce's mind stopped. He leaned forward and watched the screen closely.

Terry was walking towards Rylana.

"Hi," Terry said.

Rylana looked up from her book. The two of them were in the school library. Terry had gotten permission from his mother to stay after to work on homework. Luckily, Dana and the rest of her group had to leave for something or other, and so Terry was given the perfect opportunity to talk to Rylana.

_I don't care what Dana says, _he said. _I can't stand seeing Rylana so bothered by…whatever it is that's bothering her._

"Hi," Rylana said and then she returned to her book. Terry stood there, not quite sure what to do. He sat down next to her. The table was square, which gave him the chance to talk to her without having to turn in his chair.

After a few minutes of awkward silence he asked, "So, what book are you reading?"

Rylana put the book down and looked at him seriously. "What do you want McGinnis?" she asked.

Rylana always used Terry's first name, so hearing her refer to him by his last, and say it with a hint of anger behind it, was a bit of a slap in the face. Terry took a breath. "I just…wanted to talk to you."

"About what? Why I didn't go with you that afternoon?"

Terry was silent. Rylana looked down. "Something just came up. Something unexpected." She looked back at him. "Where's Dana?" she asked.

"She and the others had somewhere to be."

"Maybe you should go join them." Rylana stood and put her book into her bag. "You seem a lot happier with her anyways." She turned and walked away.

Rylana walked out the front door of the school. Just seconds later Terry came hurrying out after her.

"Rylana!" he called. She did not answer him. "Rylana!" He caught hold of her arm. She twisted it away.

"Look! You're a popular kid Terry," Rylana said angrily. "More popular than me. I'm just a nobody at this school. I wouldn't fit in with your crowd and you'd spend the rest of your high school career looking like an idiot and having people whispering behind your back if you spent time with me."

"I don't care."

"Then why haven't you talked to me all week? If you really didn't give a hoot what other people thought about you we'd be having this conversation with Dana and her group friends standing close by, but no, instead you waited until a time when Dana wouldn't be around for her to see you with me!"

"It's not like that!"

"Then what is it? Please Terry, explain this to me!"

Terry tried to gather his thoughts. "I want to be your friend," he said.

Rylana looked down. "If you really want something Terry," she said quietly. "You should go for it and not care if the world is watching." She looked into his eyes and he could see the pain she was feeling. "I thought that if I moved here to Gotham my life would get better somehow. But now…" Tears began to stream down her face. "Now I want nothing more than to get away."

She left Terry standing there in front of the school.

"So what have we got to deal with tonight?" Terry asked.

Bruce brought up a file on the computer. He scanned it. "Nothing," he said. "Just go about your rounds and if anything comes up I'll call you on the com-link."

"Alright." Terry put on the bat suit, hopped into the Batmobile and flew off. Bruce leaned back in his chair and thought about what had happened earlier that day. Rylana had a point; if Terry really didn't care about what people thought, he'd have done something sooner, and it would have been with Dana and her friends watching.

"Poor girl," Bruce said to himself. "Thinks she's found a friend only to find that friend abandon her." Bruce shook his head. "High school drama…"

He went back into the house. As he was fixing a pot of coffee Ace began to growl.

"What is it boy?" Bruce asked.

Ace went running out of the room barking like mad. Bruce followed after him. He listened for every noise, looked for every shadow that might move and spring out at him. He entered the entrance hall and realized that he could no longer hear Ace barking.

"Ace?" Bruce called. "Ace, come here boy." Nothing. Bruce reached for the light, but it would not turn on. His grip on his walking stick grew tighter. He waited for something, or someone, to come out and attack him.

Just as a clock in one of the rooms tolled 9:00, someone hit Bruce across the back. He fell to the floor. Without a moments hesitation he pressed a button that summoned Terry back to the cave.

Terry was only a few minutes from the Bat Cave when Bruce summoned him back. Terry looked at the time. Either Bruce had changed his mind, which was highly unlikely, or something had happened. Terry immediately turned the Batmobile around and flew back towards Wayne Manor. Upon reaching the cave he saw that Bruce was gone. He heard a crashing sound upstairs and quickly went to see what had happened.

Terry quietly walked through the house. He reached the entrance hall and saw that the rug had been moved. Footprints led Terry to the stairs. He quietly followed them to an upstairs room. He slowly opened the door and saw Bruce in a chair. He was tied up and gagged. Terry hurried over to him. As he untied the ropes Bruce began mumbling something. Terry removed the gag.

"Terry get out," Bruce said fiercely.

"What?" Terry said. No sooner had he said it than the door to the room slammed shut and the lights went out. Terry turned on his night vision and looked around the room. The intruder had hidden somewhere in the room. Terry walked towards the open window.

"Terry, watch out!"

Terry turned just as Rush Fury went for him. The two fell out the window and landed on the roof of the porch. Rush pinned Terry so that his head was over the edge of the roof. He punched him in the face. Terry tried to fight back but Rush stood him up pinned his arms behind him, and then threw him against the side of the house.

"Doesn't it just kill you?" he asked. "Knowing when you've failed to save a life." He threw Terry across the roof. Terry stood up his face aching with oncoming bruises.

"What are you talking about?" he asked. Rush laughed.

"That girl, Hanna Thompson." Terry looked at him incredulously. "She died cuz you never made it in time. Her stupid boyfriend was too afraid to fight."

Terry stood to his full height. "How do you know about that?" he asked trying his best to keep his temper. Again Rush laughed.

"I know the guy that did it," he said. His voice was filled with malice. "I know the man that attacked that girl and then left her to die in that alley."

Terry's blood began to boil. He charged Rush with a new strength and adrenaline and began hitting him anywhere he could. Rush had not expected his attack and so it was working effectively until he sent a shock through him again. Terry fell onto his back. Rush stood over him and smiled.

"I never got the chance to succeed in killing you before," he said. "I won't make that mistake this time." But before Rush Fury had a chance to emit his claws, Terry sat up and punched him hard in the gut. His anger had reached what seemed like its high point, and the punch had so much force in it that Rush stumbled and fell off the roof.

Terry walked to the edge and looked down. Rush had landed on his back and his body was sprawled on the lawn. Terry turned around to find Bruce standing at the window.

"Is he dead?" Bruce asked.

"I don't know," Terry answered. He glided down to Rush while Bruce took the long way. Terry checked his pulse. He was still alive.

Bruce came out of the house with his cell phone in hand. "Well?" he asked.

"He's alive," Terry told him. "But he probably broke something."

Bruce dialed Police Headquarters. "Hello," he said. "This is Bruce Wayne. I have an intruder that I'd like you to pick up. And bring an ambulance with you."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: What's a Bat to do?

Rush was sent to the hospital until he was well enough to be moved. Then he was sent to Arkem. Terry thought about what happened that night nearly every waking moment. He could have killed Rush. Even the doctors were surprised that he hadn't broken his neck from that fall, although he was now paralyzed from the breakage he'd received in his back.

Later that night when Terry and Bruce were back in the Bat Cave Bruce posed a powerful question.

"Do you regret that he wasn't killed?"

Terry had been blown away by the question, but he thought about it. If Rush had been killed in that fall, would Terry have felt no guilt whatsoever? What scared him the most, was that at one point in time he would have said "Yes" to Bruce's question, which caused Terry to wonder if he was any better than the man who had killed Hanna.

On top of all of this, there was the issue with Rylana. She avoided any and every chance to talk to him, and had even begun to eat lunch out in the courtyard. He hadn't attempted to talk to her since that day in the library. He didn't know _what_ to say to her. She was so hurt, so upset, he wondered if anything he told her would convince her of the truth.

He sat on the roof of his house watching the sun set. His mother climbed the ladder to the roof and carefully made her way over to him. She sat with her legs out in front of her. The two were quiet.

"How was your day?" she asked him. Terry shrugged. His mother looked down. "Terry," she said. "I know you've been…_struggling_ with some things. Whatever they are, you can tell me."

_No,_ Terry thought. _I can't. I can't tell you about how I'm afraid of what Batman is becoming because of my anger. I can't tell you about Rylana and the things I've done. I can't…_ _Why? Why can't I tell her about all of this? Well, Batman, her life and Matt's life would be endangered. Rylana…that would lead to further inquiry and eventually trail back to Hanna…I'm not ready to talk about her yet._

When no response came from her son, Mary McGinnis stood and went back off the roof. Terry waited until he heard the back door close, and then he climbed down as well, only he didn't' follow his mother into the house. Instead he went to the cemetery.

He didn't know why, but he somehow liked going to Hanna's grave. Perhaps it was because nobody would really bother you there. They'd be more than happy to leave you alone to mourn or what not. But visiting Hanna's grave only caused Terry to push all of his problems to the back of his mind. It didn't solve anything.

He stared at the rounded stone that was so familiar to him he had every aspect f it memorized.

"Oh Hanna," he said. "What do I do? Everything has started falling apart since you…" Terry sighed. "I don't know how much longer I can bear it."

There was a noise behind him and Terry turned to find the Night Angel leaning against the tree he had used as cover when he followed her there.

"Hello," she said.

"Hi," Terry replied.

She walked over to him.

"I know that you know," Terry said after a moment of silence.

"Know what?" Night Angel asked.

"About…my secret."

"Oh." Night Angel was quiet. "I'm not going to tell anyone. I know what it's like to have your identity threatened. Especially when you have someone that you care about."

"I would rather die than let any of my family and friends get hurt."

Night Angel smiled. "I know." Ten minutes passed, and then she spoke again. "Come with me," she told him.

"What?"

She took his hand and led him to an abandoned chapel. It had long since been used, and instead of fixing it up, the Gotham City Council had built a new one on the other side of the cemetery. They had intended to tear this one down, but the historic society prevented them. Now it stood as a monument with vines growing up its walls and weeds sprouting up over its front steps.

Terry and Night Angel sat down on one of the old wooden benches. There were crickets chirping outside. The only light in the room was the moonlight shining in from one of the windows.

"I like it here," Night Angel said. "It's quiet. A sanctuary from the city life."

"It is peaceful," Terry said.

Night Angel turned to him. "You seem troubled."

Terry looked down at his hands. "There's just so much going on in my life," he told her. He looked up at the pulpit. Behind it on the wall hung a sculpture of Christ. He'd heard about him. He was a man that had healed the sick, caused the lame to walk, the blind to see. Terry could remember vividly the lessons in his Sunday school class as a kid. When he hit high school his attendance to church had slackened. Especially when his parents split up. He shook his head. "What do you do when you have so many problems?" he asked.

Night Angel smiled. "Find religion," she said.

"What if you've gotten to the point where you don't want to _be _anymore? You just want to get out of this world, be gone from it."

Night Angel turned and faced him. "You look around and see that there are things in this life worth living for."

Terry was quiet. "All that was worth living for," he began, "I've lost."

"Then find it again."

Night Angel stood up and headed towards the door. Terry stood and caught her arm. She stood in front of him. He drew closer to her. Their faces were just inches away. Terry leaned in and for a moment time seemed to stop. _Seemed_ being the key word there, for just as Terry was about to kiss the Night Angel, the church bell in the distance began to toll. Terry looked at his watch. Midnight, and his mother was most likely worried sick about him.

He looked back at the Night Angel, about to tell her goodbye, but she was gone. He looked around the church but did not find her anywhere.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six: Search and Discovery

Rylana was walking home from school when she heard her name being called.

"Rylana!" She turned to see Terry pull up in his car. Dana was sitting in the front seat. Rylana gave him a surprised blank stare. Terry got out of the car and walked over to her. "I wanted to talk to you," he said standing in front of her.

She looked over to Dana. "Now?" she asked implying that she didn't believe he would talk to her in front of Dana.

"Yes, right here, right now, this very minute."

Rylana waited for him to say something. Terry continued.

"You were right. I had been trying to avoid being seen with you. It was selfish and I'm sorry. It took two weeks of not talking to you and having you avoid me, after our convo at the library I mean, for me to finally get it. You're and amazing person, and you're a great friend. I shouldn't be ashamed of someone as great as you." He held out his hand. "Friends?"

Rylana looked at his hand a moment. She looked up at him, smiled, and shook his hand. "Friends," she said.

Terry's face split into the biggest grin Rylana had ever seen him wear. "Great," he told her. "Would you like a ride home?"

"Sure."

Rylana got into the back of the car and as she did so she could sense that Dana was not happy at all, but she didn't care. Terry wasn't the jerk she'd thought he was. Things were beginning to improve and it made her happy. She wasn't about to let Dana spoil it for her.

Terry arrived at the Bat cave on time. Bruce was surprised.

"You're here…"

"On time," Terry said. "I know. Sorry I've been late the past few weeks. Well, more like the last month or so."

"Almost three months actually," Bruce told him. Terry counted up the days.

"Yeah, my bad. I was actually wondering if I could use the computer to look up some information on Rush Fury. Find out his real name, see if I can get anything that can lead me to Hanna's killer."

"Sure," Bruce said. He got out of the chair. "I'm going to go upstairs and make a bit of coffee. Maybe catch the game while I'm at it." And with that said and done he left the room.

Terry set to work on the computer immediately. He opened up the file that Bruce had on all of the Arkem patients and searched out Rush's name. While the records had him under his real name they also had his villain name attached so as to be aware if what they are dealing with should any patient escape. Terry had been searching for an hour and was ready to give it up for the day when he finally found it.

_Reynolds, Jacob_

_"Rush Fury"_

_Height: 5'9" Weight: 150lbs. Birth Date: September 25, 2020_

_Physical Condition:_

_Paralysis, otherwise in excellent condition_

_Mental Status:_

_Suffers from amnesia, long/short term-unknown_

_Emotional Status:_

_Depression_

Terry scrolled down to the next page.

_History_

_Birth Place: Chicago, Illinois_

Terry stared at the location. Now he was getting somewhere.

_Elementary Attended:_

_Nathaniel Reynolds School for Boys_

_Junior School Attended:_

_Nathaniel Reynolds School for Boys_

_High School Attended:_

_Nathaniel Reynolds School for Boys_

"So much for getting close," he said. "Hanna went to public schools all of her life. She never attended a private one." Terry sighed. "Oh well, I'll just have to keep looking I guess." He looked down at his watch. It was a quarter to five. He didn't have to be home for a few more hours, but he wasn't sure of how much information his brain could take in. "Maybe Rylana might know something about him," he said to himself.

He continued to read.

_Mental/Physical/Emotional History:_

_Car accident that killed his mother-no injuries, depression began._

_Father's remarriage-cause of anger_

_Anger Management-age 13-18_

Terry sighed. This kid had some problems. He remembered how broken up he'd been when his parents split up. But this kid was having serious issues. He was only 13 and needed anger management? Terry began to count his blessings.

Terry took a closer look at his school history.

"Nathaniel Reynolds? I wonder if they're related."

He checked to see who Rush's parents were.

_Parents_

_Father: Nathaniel James Reynolds_

_Mother: Eliza Priscilla Cameron_

Terry pulled up a search engine on the Internet browser. He looked up Nathaniel James Reynolds. He was the founder of the school his son attended. Upon further examination of the school Terry learned that it was for troubled boys aged 5-18. How could someone send their own son to a place like this? Upon digging deeper he learned that Mrs. Reynolds died when Rush was only three years old. He was enrolled in his father's school at the earliest age possible.

"Maybe he couldn't handle his kid's depression," Terry said bitterly.

He continued searching for whatever information he could but nothing else came up that was either of interest or that connected Rush to Hanna.

"Maybe there isn't any connection," he said. "Not a direct one at least. He did say that he knew the person that did it, not that he was the one. Besides, I'd remember that person's face if I saw them anywhere, and Rush was definitely _not_ the person that killed her.

As Terry closed out of the Internet he printed off Rush's full file. As he looked at Bruce's desktop he saw a file that made him curious. "TM Vid" Terry knew that he was snooping, but he was curious, and besides, Bruce wouldn't have anything really terrible on his desktop. So, Terry opened the folder.

What he found were video clips with dates on them. He checked the first one; just a video at the cemetery. He skipped over some of the clips and selected one that took place a few weeks ago. It was of a school hallway. Terry looked closely and recognized it as Hamilton High.

"What the…?"

The video went into the library and from there it was like deja vou. Rylana, the fight about him and whether or not he was ashamed of their friendship. As Terry watched he finally got the hint. "Vid", on the folder name, meant "Video" and "TM" meant…

"That was a crazy game."

Terry turned and watched as Bruce came down the stairs.

"It was tight, but then Henderson…" Bruce stopped just feet from where Terry was. He was staring past Terry at the computer. Terry realized that he hadn't stopped the video. The look on Bruce's face told him everything. He stood up grabbed his bag and tried to hurry out of the Cave, to pissed to talk to Bruce.

"Terry," Bruce began.

"Why?" Terry asked sternly turning around and staring at Bruce with angry eyes.

"I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"Well then just ask me! What did you do? Put some hidden camera on my person! I know I've been a jerk and all, keeping to myself, not letting anybody in, but this!" Terry shook his head. "I _never _thought of you to be one who'd stoop this low."

"Terry, I…"

"I don't want to hear it!"

He turned and stormed out of the Cave. Bruce sat down and rubbed his nose. Ace came over and laid his head on Bruce's leg. He began to whimper. Bruce sighed. This was going to be one heck of a fixer upper.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: Hanna's Past

It was only seven o'clock when Terry finally got home. His mom and brother were not there. A note on the refrigerator had been left explaining that Matt was at a friend's and Terry's mom was at a dinner appointment with her boss. Terry put his bag in his room and sat down on his bed.

_How could he do this? _Terry thought. _He had no right whatsoever to do it._

Terry turned on his computer. He logged onto Messenger and waited to see who was online. As he looked at the screen a notice saying that had requested to add him. He accepted and found that whoever it was, was also logged on. He opened up a conversation with them.

_tmcginnis22: Hi_

_angel101: Hey Ter._

Terry looked at the screen.

_tmcginnis22: sorry, but i'm not sure who this is._

_angel101: oh, my bad, this is rylana._

_tmcginnis22: oh! how'd you get my email?_

_tangel101: dana._

_tmcginnis22: cool. so how's your day been?_

_angel101: it's been pretty good. how 'bout you?_

_tmcginnis22: eh, it could've been ten times better. have you ever found out that someone you thought you could trust had been invading your privacy for the past few months?_

_angel101: yeah. it's pretty aggravating. someone been getting into your personal stuff?_

_tmcginnis22: well, sort of. it's hard to explain. i just feel so angry that they would betray me like that, you know?_

_angel101: yeah, i know. _

Terry waited a moment, and then decided to ask the question.

_tmcginnis22: do you know who Jacob Reynolds is?_

There wasn't a response for about a minute or so.

_angel101: yeah, he's a kid hanna and i met while we were freshmen over in chicago._

_tmcginnis22: how'd you meet him?_

_angel101: well, for one of our classes we went every friday to the nathaniel reynolds school for boys. we read to the younger elementary aged kids and helped them with their homework. while we were there a kid, a junior at the time, was assigned to help me out with one of the boys. alex, was his name. _

_tmcginnis22: what happened with the two of you?_

_angel101: well, he started showing some interest in me, but let's face it, a guy like him isn't exactly what i want._

_tmcginnis22: what do you mean "a guy like him"? _

_angel101: well, he was just one of those guys that were really creepy. he'd follow me all over the school whenever i was there. there was even a time when hanna and i were at the mall and he followed us to it. we lost him eventually, but yeah, he was just creepy. after a few months he started sending me all of these love notes and things like that. from what he said in the notes i could tell he had been stalking me more than just at the mall and the school._

_tmcginnis22: what happened to him?_

_angel101: i eventually told the police everything. he was arrested and escaped a few days later. he actually killed a guy to get out.._

_tmcginnis22: man…but, what does that have to do with jacob?_

_angel101: jacob and alex were best friends._

Terry stared at the screen. Best friends? Could Alex have been the one to kill Hanna? Maybe, but there still wasn't any motive yet.

_tmcginnis22: i see. did alex ever have any contact with hanna?_

_angel101: yeah. during our sophomore year he resurfaced after being in hiding for a little over a year and started stalking her. he caught her in an alley one night and tried to take advantage of her, but she kicked his butt pretty could. he was sent to jail again and we found out that he had done other things in some nearby city. the court didn't even need to hear what the defense had to say; his ticket to prison was assured. he was sentenced to 25 years. if hanna hadn't fought back, he'd never have been caught. _

_tmcginnis22: so he's still there then? in prison i mean._

_angel101: no, he escaped. about a month after his first trial his idiot lawyer went for an appeal. he was on his way to the courthouse when he shot his lawyer and the driver of the car they were in. nobody knows how he got the gun, but he got it, and he's once again running free._

Terry nodded. So he tries to get Hanna, she fights back, sends him to prison, and he wants revenge.

_More like he got revenge, _Terry thought to himself. He heard the sound of the front door opening.

"I'm home!" Mary McGinnis called.

Terry looked at his watch. It was about 8:00. He said goodbye to Rylana and logged off.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight: Rylana's Future

After saying goodbye to Terry Rylana checked her email and then she went and sat on her bed. She looked at the bedside table. On it lay about twenty different letters of information from colleges all over the country. She was even considering out of country places to go. Oxford was the one that appealed to her the most so far, especially since her father didn't live too far away from campus.

Her mother didn't want her to go to college. According to her college was a waste of time. There were plenty of jobs a person could get with a simple high school diploma.

"Sorry, but flipping hamburgers isn't my idea of a career," Rylana had once told her.

Rylana's mother was in business for herself. She had taken a computer technology class in high school and decided that she wanted to design announcements and things such as that. Her business, Kelly's Design and More, was making a fairly well off profit, but business was diminishing due to the fact that Kelly spent most of her money on material goods for herself instead of hiring someone to help. The business would do well to have a few more people designing and maybe a delivery person or two. Instead Kelly delivered the products herself, or if she was "too busy" she sent Rylana to do it.

Rylana looked at the clock. It was 9:00. She considered pulling out her homework and working on it, but for some strange reason, she was getting tired, and so she decided to go to bed instead. As she drifted into unconsciousness Rylana began to dream a rather curious dream.

The dream was taking place as though Rylana were watching a movie about herself. It began with her sitting underneath an oak tree with a book in hand. The title of the book was one she did not recognize. She tried to see the author, but simply got the initials.

_REM_

Rylana's dream self had continued to read the story when a three-year-old boy came running towards her. Dream Rylana's face split into a huge grin. She set down the book and caught the young boy in her arms. As she did so the movie seemed to fast-forward.

Dream Rylana was now a few years older. Her stomach was round with another child and she was busy cooking dinner. The same three-year-old boy that had been so eager to see her was now eight. He walked into the kitchen followed by a little girl and two more boys. The girl was about six, and the boys were four.

"Mommy, mommy!" the little girl said with a smile on her face.

"Hey!" dream Rylana replied. "How was school?"

"It was great! We played kickball and we drew pictures, and mommy I have a present for daddy."

"He's working again. He'll be home by dinner though."

"Unless he's late again," the six-year-old boy said.

Dream Rylana smiled. The real Rylana sensed that this dream husband of hers was late for a reason, and that this dream Rylana knew it. At first Rylana thought that maybe this dream husband was cheating on her, but looking at the dream Rylana, she saw that there was no hint of sadness in her expression.

The dream fast-forwarded.

Rylana was in the Gotham City Cemetery. Everyone there was dressed in black. Her oldest was now fourteen, the oldest daughter was twelve, the twins were ten, and the youngest was six. It was raining, and the family was huddled under two umbrellas. Dream Rylana was next to her husband but his head was down and blocked from view by the umbrella. Real Rylana looked around and saw an elderly woman that she guessed was her mother in law. Next to her were Rylana's brother in law and his wife.

The headstone of the grave read:

_Bruce Wayne_

Rylana read past the birth and death dates and read the inscription.

_He was a man who lived great, _

_and died great. Long live great men._

_Terry McGinnis_

Rylana couldn't begin to imagine how such a loss would have hit Terry. Bruce had been a second father to him. Now he was gone.

Again the dream fast-forwarded a few more years. The family of six was now a family of seven. The oldest, the young boy from the beginning of the dream was now sixteen years old and learning how to drive. Dream Rylana was sitting in the passenger side front seat while her son drove. Real Rylana was sitting in the back seat.

"Just relax," Dream Rylana said. Her son took a deep breath. "You're doing great." The drive continued around the block a few times. When they were finished dream Rylana spoke. "Just take the car right into the driveway." But alas, her son turned the car too soon and ran over the mailbox. He stopped the car and squeezed his eyes shut. Dream Rylana was speechless. She got out to inspect the damage. After a moment she returned and got back in the car. The two were silent for a minute.

Dream Rylana looked down and started to laugh. Her son looked at her absolutely confused, and upon realizing that she wasn't mad about the mailbox, he began to laugh along. Real Rylana smiled, and would have laughed too, but again the dream fast-forwarded.

It was another funeral, only this time She was sitting in a chapel. She looked and found her dream self, sitting in the front row. To the left of her were her two youngest boys. They were now fourteen years old. Next to them sat the youngest daughter at age ten. To Dream Rylana's right was her oldest. He was now eighteen. Real Rylana could see the pain he was feeling and wondered whose funeral it was. Where was her dream husband?

As real Rylana looked towards the pulpit she saw a man that she somehow knew was her husband. She could not see his face; at least, his features did not register in real Rylana's mind. All that she could see was that he was of a strong build and had dark hair.

When her husband had finished Rylana's oldest son joined him at the coffin. They were both pallbearers. They carried the coffin out of the room with dream Rylana and her children close behind. As they left real Rylana suddenly realized something. Her daughter was not there. Then it hit her. This was her oldest daughter's funeral.

Rylana wanted to know more about what happened with her daughter but the dream continued on its way. Her twin boys were graduating from High School. One was the Student Body President; the other was Senior Class President. Both sung in the Hamilton High Choir.

Next to dream Rylana were her husband and youngest daughter. On the other side of her daughter was her oldest son. He had his wife with him and they had two children. Real Rylana wondered if this oldest son of hers was close to the daughter she'd lost. But she'd never know.

The dream fast-forwarded.

One of the twins was sitting in a hospital. In the bed was his wife. She'd just had their first child. There had been complications and the doctors were nearby trying to save the baby's life. After a moment the head doctor came over.

"I'm sorry," he said sorrow filling his eyes. "We did everything we could, he was just too small, too weak."

As dream Rylana's daughter in law broke into uncontrollable sobs, her son took her in his arms and cried with her. Real Rylana wanted to wrap her arms around him. She stepped forward to do so, but suddenly everything disappeared.

Rylana was standing in a black room. She searched out that scene she had just been witnessing. Nothing.

There was the sound of footsteps behind her. She turned but nothing was there. She looked around trying to find some means of escape. Suddenly an image of a girl in black leather pants, a skin tight black t-shirt, a black hooded cloak, and a mask like that of Zorro's flashed before her eyes.

Rylana awoke with a start. He was panting as though she'd just run a mile. Her hands were shaking and she had broken out into a cold sweat. She looked at the clock. 3:30 a.m.

Rylana lay back against her pillows. What was the meaning of her dream? Was that really her future she saw? Was it a dream? And why had the Night Angel's image flashed before her at the end?

These questions swam through her mind as Rylana rode out the remainder of the night.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine: Terry's Present

For the next few days Terry didn't perform his duty as Batman. The news media had begun wondering what happened to him. They came up with the theory that the Night Angel had "put him out of business."

"It wasn't the Night Angel," he told himself. "It was his nosy mentor."

Terry walked into the house. His mother was waiting for him. The look on her face indicated that she was upset. Terry looked at his watch.

"I'm not late," he told her.

"I know," she said.

"Then, what's wrong?"

"Mr. Wayne called me."

Terry didn't say anything.

"You told me he was letting you take the week off."

"Yeah."

"He left me with the impression that he thought you'd been sick. He wanted to know why you weren't coming in to work."

Terry again was silent.

"Well, are you going to tell me what's going on?"

Terry merely looked down.

Mary McGinnis closed her eyes in an attempt to hold her temper. "Terry," she said. "These past months I've been lenient. I haven't pushed you to tell me what's been going on, but now you leave me no choice." She looked at him and he could see the anger and frustration in her eyes. "_What is going on?_"

"Nothing," Terry said. He walked past her towards his room.

"Terry McGinnis!"

Terry stopped.

"I know Hanna's death was hard on you," she said. "But her loss is no reason for you to stop living your life!"

Terry turned on his mother. "Why do people keep getting into my life!" he demanded. "First Dana, then Bruce, now you! Just leave me alone!"

"We're getting into your life because we care!"

"Maybe you're caring too much!" Terry stormed off to his room. He locked the door behind him. He threw his bag onto the floor and sat in his desk chair. His mother knocked on the door.

"Terry," she said. She tried the door but found it locked. She waited only a moment and then left.

Terry got out of his chair climbed out the window and began walking. He first thought of walking to the cemetery, but he didn't feel like being reminded of Hanna at the moment. So, he head towards the pier.

Terry leaned up against the railing. The smell of the salty sea air and the wind in his face wasn't anymore calming than the walk there. Maybe if he knew what really happened with Hanna it'd be easier for him to move on.

As Terry stood there he heard noises behind him. He turned to find a group of ten men walking towards him. He'd never seen them before. He took a fighting stance.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Terry asked.

One of them smiled. "You've been doing some diggin', haven't ya?" he said. Terry gave him a quizzical look. "Jacob Reynolds and Alex Reeder."

Terry glared at them as they drew closer. They were all twice the size of Terry, but he was willing to take them all on. "Is it wrong for a guy to want answers about his girlfriend's death?" he asked.

"It is in your case."

One of the guys from he left sprung at Terry. Terry ducked and sent him flying. Thus the fight broke out. Terry was taking on the ten men pretty well when his luck changed and one of them hit him in the back of the neck. Terry felt all of his nerves just give way and he fell to the ground.

Two of the men picked him up and held him by the arms. The Leader of the gang walked over to him. He stood in front of Terry without saying a word. Then he hit him hard in the gut. He hit him three more times and then across the face.

"Tie him up," he said.

The men bound Terry's hands and feet so tightly that Terry could feel the ropes cutting into his skin. They tied a weight to his feet and then hoisted him into the air. Terry began to squirm trying his best to get free of the hands holding him but they only held him tighter.

"Let's lose this little 'detective' boys."

When the order had been given, the men immediately threw Terry over the railing to sink into the dark depths of the Gotham Pier.

Terry struggled to loose himself of the ropes that held him bound, but he was running out of air and his struggling only made it worse. He knew there was no chance of him being saved. He looked up and could see the surface of the water slowly growing dim as he sunk to the bottom. His heart was racing. He had never known what it was like to drown.

On the land the ten men were just getting on their bikes and driving away when the leader was hit in the side of the head by something swinging past. They all looked to find the Night Angel perched on one of the buildings.

"Having a late night walk in the moonlight?" she asked. Before they could answer she swooped down on them, taking out two of the men. As two more came at her she jumped into the air. The impact of the collision knocked them out. Four down, six to go.

Night Angel whipped out a small dagger and slashed the next guy that came at her on the arm. He cried out in pain. She put the dagger away and high kicked the next one in the face. She heard his nose break as she did so. The breakage caused him to black out.

Three more came at her. One of them got a few hits in before she even had a chance to defend herself. Blood was trickling out of her mouth but she kept going. She kicked the man square in the chest and he flew back. The next man was clumsy and Night Angel was able to trip him easily. She then punched him in the face, knocking him out. The last of the three came at her and she jumped up, causing him to hit the wall.

The Leader was all that remained. He was three or four times her size, but she couldn't care less. She took a fighting stance and the two of them circled around for a minute or so.

Without warning the Leader sprung forward and tackled her to the ground. He hit her in the face and was going for a second hit when she caught his hand. She began to twist it and he finally released her.

Before either of the adversaries could attack again a helicopter came flying in above them.

"This is Commissioner Gordon of the Gotham City Police! You are under arrest."

But the man wasn't about to get caught; he hopped on his bike and drove off as quickly as possible. The chopper flew in pursuit after him; five Police cars drove up to take the other men away.

Night Angel jumped into the water. For most people it would have been difficult to find someone, or something, at the bottom of the Gotham Pier, but Night Angel had eyesight that could _almost_ put Superman to shame.

It only took her a few minutes to reach Terry. She used the dagger to slash his bindings, took hold of him around the waist, and then swam to the surface. When she got there two officers were there to help her and Terry out of the water.

"Get an ambulance!" one of the officers, Officer Ferrell, told his partner. Officer Granger didn't hesitate a moment. Ferrell looked back at Terry. "He's not breathing," he said.

Night Angel pushed him aside slightly and began CPR. She went through her first set of compressions, then gave him two rescue breaths and started the process over.

"Come on," she whispered to Terry after the fourth set of compressions.

Terry began to move. Night Angel rolled him onto his side just in time for him to throw up the water he had swallowed. She smiled and let out a sigh of relief. Terry rolled back onto his back. He opened his eyes slightly and looked at her. Officer Ferrell saw the ambulance pull up and he went over to tell the EMT's as much as he could. Terry smiled slightly at Night Angel.

"Hey," he said weakly.

"Hi," she said, smiling down at him. She had such a beautiful smile. Terry was only allowed a moment to admire it though, for the EMT's came over and began doing an assessment on him. Night Angel stood and left.

Bruce stared at the computer screen. He began deleting all of the video clips of Terry. His decision to snoop around in Terry's personal life had caused him to give up the role of Batman.

"Hello Bruce."

Bruce turned around to see Barbara Gordon. He turned back to his work.

"Hello Barbara."

She looked at the screen. "Changed your mind about McGinnis I see," she said.

Bruce nodded. After a moment of silence he said, "You were right Barbara."

She looked at him inquisitively.

"I should've let him come to me, instead of getting into his personal life."

Barbara nodded. "Yes," she said. She looked at him seriously. "Has Mary McGinnis called you today?"

Bruce looked at her. "No," he told her. "Should she have?"

Barbara sighed. "Someone tried to kill your assistant last night."

Bruce stood up abruptly. "What?"

"He's at Gotham General right now. He's got a broken rib or two, a few bruises and scraps, but he's doing fine. At least, for the most part."

"What do you mean?"

"Typically when a patient comes in after nearly being killed the hospital sends in a psychiatrist to make sure they haven't suffered too much emotionally. General's psych, Dr. Varner, says that Terry's been traumatized by something but he won't open up. He won't even speak to his mother."

Bruce got his coat. "Take me to him."

Bruce stood outside the door a moment. Terry was staring out the window. It was a little after noon and Bruce saw the tray of food that had been brought in for the teen. Not a single thing on it had been touched. He took a breath and opened the door.

Terry looked at him as he entered. The look on his face let Bruce know that he was the last person Terry had expected to see. Terry turned his vision back to the window hesitantly. Bruce took a seat in the chair beside his bed.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

No answer.

"The doctor's say you only got a few injuries. You should be able to go home later today."

Still no answer.

Bruce sighed. "Terry," he said. "About the…hidden camera on your person…I shouldn't have done it. It was a deliberate invasion of your privacy. And I'm sorry."

Terry was silent.

"I know that something like this is a hard thing to forgive, and that I probably don't deserve it, but…"

"That's not it," Terry said quietly.

Bruce blinked in surprise. Terry had been in the hospital all night and all morning. This was the first thing he'd said during that time. Bruce didn't want to press the matter further for fear that he'd upset Terry, so he simply waited to see if he'd say more.

Terry shook his head and looked down at his hands. "If I hadn't let what happened get to me…" he began, "…if I had been out doing what I was supposed to last night…this wouldn't have happened."

"Terry," Bruce said. "You didn't make those men attack you. Whether you'd been where you were supposed to or not last night, they still would have looked for you and tried to kill you."

Terry was silent again.

"I never knew was it was like to experience drowning," Terry said. "Until last night." Terry's body began to shake slightly and there was a tremor in his voice. "I was just sinking to the bottom. I tried to get free, I tried to get back to the surface but I couldn't." His voice broke and tears streamed down his face. He covered his face with his trembling hands.

Bruce put a hand on his shoulder.

"I've just wanted to dies these past few months," Terry said through his hands. "I almost did last night, and now…"

"It's alright Terry," Bruce said. He felt like a father trying to tell his child that the monsters under the bed weren't going to get him. "You're safe."

Terry shook his head. "No I'm not."

"Yes you are. Nine of the men that tried to kill you have been caught and they're searching for the tenth as we speak."

"I didn't mean them," Terry said moving his hands. He looked at Bruce. The pain in his eyes was like a dagger through Bruce's heart. "I mean myself." Terry shook his head again. "I'll never forgive myself."

Bruce's eyebrows knit together slightly, but Terry didn't say anything further.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten: Chat with a Convict

Rylana stared up at the building. She'd never been inside an asylum, and Arkem was full of the worst loonies in Gotham. Her heart began to race, but she ignored it and entered the building. She told the receptionist who she was there to see, and in return Rylana was told where to go.

He was on the second floor. It had been a year since she saw him last. She couldn't believe what had happened in that small amount of time. As the elevator doors opened she talked to the security officer on duty. He led her to his room.

"Reynolds," he said. The nineteen-year-old boy looked up. "You've got a visitor." Then he said to Rylana, "I'll be just outside if you need anything."

"Thank you," Rylana told him. She stood across from Jacob. He stared at her in awe.

"Rylana?" he said.

"Hey Jake," she said smiling. "It's been a while."

"Yeah, a whole year."

The two were quiet. Rylana sat down in a chair.

"How've you been?" Jake asked her.

Rylana shrugged. "Alright I guess." She waited and then asked, "Why Jake?"

He looked down. "Why what?" he asked quietly.

Rylana's eyes grew sad. "Why did you become what you are?"

Jake didn't say anything at first. "I was angry," he said. "At my father, at Alex…you…"

Rylana looked down. "Why were made at me?" she asked softly.

"Because…I thought that…I don't know. I blamed you for our break up instead of myself."

"I see." Rylana looked at him.

Jake looked at her and the two locked gazes.

"When I finally came to and realized that it was my fault, I was already in too deep. I couldn't get out. I wanted to, I tried to, but…"

"But what?"

Jake didn't' respond. Rylana changed the subject.

"Do you know who killed Hanna?"

Jake's body stiffened. "Yes," he whispered.

Rylana took his hand. "Please," she said. "Tell me."

Jake shook his head vigorously.

"Why not?"

"He'll kill me if I tell you."

Rylana's eyebrows knit together. "Who will?"

"The one that did it."

Rylana took both of his hands. "Jake, there's a boy, a boy who is my friend. He was dating Hanna when it happened. Please, he needs to know; _I _need to know."

Jake shook his head again. Rylana touched the side of his face. He looked deep into her eyes. They were pleading.

"Jake…"

He closed his eyes. "He thought she was the Night Angel."

Rylana's face fell.

"I can't tell you anymore."

Rylana kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you," she said. She stood up and went to the door.

"Rylana," Jake said.

Rylana stopped and turned around. "Yes?"

"I'm…sorry. I'm so sorry…"

Rylana went to him and put her arms around him. He returned the gesture.

"No worries," she whispered in his ear. Then she stood up and left.

Rylana had one more place to go. She entered Gotham General and asked the head nurse where Terry McGinnis' room was.

"He just left," she told her.

"Left?"

"Yeah, he was released about…" The nurse looked at her watch. "Half an hour ago."

"Thank you."

Rylana left the hospital and headed for Terry's house. As she did, a limo pulled up beside her. It was a black limo with dark windows and Rylana's heart began to race. She readied her self to fight if anyone tried to apprehend her.

The window rolled down.

"Rylana, right?"

Rylana saw the face of Bruce Wayne. She let out her breath and smiled.

"Hello Mr. Wayne," she said. She walked over to the car. "I was just on my way to see Terry."

"As was I," he said. "I have some matters of business to discuss with him. I'll give you a ride."

"Thanks."

The ride to Terry's was a quiet one. Rylana had never met Bruce Wayne. She'd seen him at Terry's Aunt's birthday party, but never talked to him. Bruce only knew that this was the new girl from Terry's school. The one that Terry had gotten into a fight with and had just patched things up with a week or so ago.

Once they got to Terry's house, the two walked up to the front door. Bruce rang the bell. Matt answered the door.

"Hi Mr. Wayne," he said. "Hi Rylana."

"Hey Matt," Rylana said smiling.

"Is your brother here?" Bruce asked.

"He's out shopping with my mom. You guys can come in and wait though." Once Bruce and Rylana were both seated in the living room, Matt returned to his room.

"So," Bruce said. "Why were _you_ coming to see Terry?"

"Oh," Rylana said. "You know, just wanted to check on him, make sure he was ok and all."

"I see."

The two sat in silence for the remainder of their wait, which wasn't very long. A few minutes after Bruce and Rylana's arrival, Terry walked in carrying a large bag of groceries. His mother came in behind him and shut the door. When she saw the two visitors on the couch she smiled.

"Mr. Wayne," she said. "Rylana, how are you?"

Terry turned around. His two friends smiled at him. He gave them a small smile.

"I'll let you all talk," Mary McGinnis said. She left and went into her office. Terry went over and sat down opposite them.

"Why are you guys here?" he asked.

"I have some matters of 'business' to discuss with you," Bruce said. Terry nodded and then turned to Rylana.

"Oh," she said. "I was just…coming to see that you were alright and everything. I'll let you and Mr. Wayne talk about whatever it is the two of you need to talk about." She stood and went to the door.

"You don't have to leave," Terry said standing up. Rylana smiled. "It's ok," she told him. "Really." And then she left. Terry sat back down.

"You like her don't you?" Bruce asked.

"No," Terry said. "I mean, as a friend, but not romantically."

"Why not? She's not exactly Hamilton High's Beauty Queen, but she is rather pretty, and she's nice."

"I know that, it's just that there's…someone else…"

Bruce leaned forward.

"Really?"

Terry changed the subject.

"So what did you need to talk about?"

Bruce tossed a folder across the table to him. "This is all of the information I found about Alex." Terry opened the folder. "He was last seen just outside of Gotham actually. Nobody's seen him for the past six months though."

"I see," Terry said. Nothing in the file really gave Terry any more information than he already had. He sighed and tossed it back onto the table. He rubbed eyes.

"If you want I can look for him," Bruce said.

"Thanks," Terry replied.

"So, who is this 'someone else'?" Bruce asked when Terry didn't say more. Terry's head snapped up.

"Just…nobody…"

Bruce raised an eyebrow.

Terry stood and walked over to the window. "Don't get mad," he said.

"Ok…"

"It's…"

At that moment Matt came running into the room.

"Terry! Terry! Check out the news!"

Terry went over to the television and turned it on. The story that was being talked about was taking place in front of Arkem.

"_Just moments ago,"_ the reporter said. _"Security Officer Jared Langston was found shot outside the room of nineteen year-old Jacob Reynolds."_ Terry's fists clenched. _"Police found blood on the floor of Mr. Reynolds' room. When tested to see whose it was they discovered it belonged to Mr. Reynolds himself." _Terry looked at the screen quizzically. _"It is still unknown exactly what happened, but every inmate that has been question here at Arkem has either refused to comment or they have given the same story."_

At that point the screen changed to one of the Arkem Inmates being interviewed by a reporter.

"_This crazy lunatic, probably about four times Reynolds' size came in shot the guard and then we heard this argument going on inside his cell. Next thing we know the guy's coming out of Reynolds' cell dragging Reynolds with him. Reynolds was bleeding from his head pretty bad and he was yellin' and screamin' things like 'Please don't take me' and 'I didn't say anything', you know, stuff like that."_

"_One of the nurses was also interviewed."_

"_I was just going about my rounds when I heard this crash like someone breaking a window up on the floor above me. I hurried to the elevator and by the time I got to Mr. Reynolds' cell Officer Langston had been shot and the intruder and Mr. Reynolds were gone."_

The screen went back to the reporter.

"_No leads yet as to where the intruder and his hostage are, but Police say that the description of the man that took Reynolds matched that of the man they were pursuing last night at the Gotham Pier."_

Terry turned off the TV.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven: "I can't forgive myself…"

Terry stared out his bedroom window. It was Friday morning, and school was now out for the summer. He'd spent the remainder of his time in a kind of solitude except when he was Batman; then he was with Bruce.

There was a knock on his door.

"Come in," he said.

His mother entered the room.

"Rylana is here to see you," she told him.

Terry turned and left the room. Rylana was sitting on the couch. When Terry came in she stood up.

"Hey," she said smiling.

"Hi," he said. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought we could go for a walk."

"Well, I think I've got some things planned." He looked at his mother. She raised an eyebrow at him. "But, I guess if it isn't too long…" Mary smiled.

Terry grabbed his jacket and then the two teens walked out the door.

They were silent at first, but after a few minutes Rylana spoke.

"You heard about Jake?" she asked.

"Yeah," Terry said.

Silence.

"Terry there's something you should know."

Terry looked at her.

"Jake and I…" she stopped, uncertain of if she really wanted to tell him.

"Yeah?"

"We dated when I was a sophomore."

Terry stopped. Rylana's head was down. He stared at her incredulously.

"You dated the best friend of the guy who was stalking you, and then stalked Hanna?"

Rylana nodded. Terry didn't say anything further.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you when you asked about him online…"

"Why?"

Rylana sighed. "I thought he was a great guy. He didn't act like Alex at all. That always amazed me. The two of them were best friends, and yet they were so different. We broke up because he was so depressed, and his depression just brought me down. Well, his depression became anger, and then…" Rylana let the last two words hang in the air. Terry spoke.

"I meant," he began, "Why didn't you tell me?

Rylana looked him straight in the eye.

"I didn't want to make you upset. I knew you had asked about Jake for a reason, and I knew that the reason you had couldn't be good, leastways on Jake's part it couldn't." She looked down. "I didn't want it to change your opinion of me."

"Not telling me has changed my opinion of you more so than you telling me." There was anger in his voice. Rylana looked up at him and he saw the hurt in her eyes.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, alright? I should have told you, I shouldn't have cared whether or not your opinion of me changed; I should have just done it. When I decided this morning to tell you I hoped you wouldn't do this."

"Do what?" Terry asked annoyance written all over his voice.

"I hoped that when you'd realized I had made a mistake you wouldn't rub it in my face!"

Rylana started walking ahead of him too upset, confused, and hurt to want to talk anymore. She had nearly reached the end of the next block when Terry finally caught hold of her.

"I'm sorry," he said. He took her in his arms. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. You gathered up the courage to tell me the truth; I should have been more kind."

Rylana began to sob. There was so much going on in her life, so much she wanted to share with him. She just wanted the world to go away, oh how much simpler her life would be if the world around her disappeared.

Terry realized that she wasn't crying just about their disagreement. He pulled back slightly. Her head was down and the tears ran down her face freely.

"What's wrong?" he asked. His once anger filled voice was now concerned.

"Nothing," Rylana sobbed.

Terry lifted her chin and looked into her sad tear filled eyes.

"Rylana…" It had been said with such delicacy, such feeling, Rylana just wanted to touch her lips to his, but she knew he would not give her the kiss she so longed for. The kiss that said, "I love you" and more.

Rylana dried her eyes. She looked back at him and smiled.

"Don't worry about it," she said. Terry gave her an unconvinced look. "Maybe I'll tell you some day, I just…can't right now."

Terry knew what that was like. He nodded. "Alright," he said.

The two of them continued on their walk. They changed the topic of their conversation to happier things. They exchanged some of their most embarrassing moments, told jokes, and just did all they could to liven up the mood.

They crossed one of the Gotham City streets, walked about 35 yards and came to an alleyway. Terry stopped. Rylana looked at him curiously.

"Terry," she said touching his arm. "Are you alright?  
He was staring down the alley. She followed his gaze. The alley was free of people. There was a cat sitting on a garbage can looking for food it seemed. Rylana tried to figure on why it was that Terry seemed drawn to this alley.

It did look familiar…

Suddenly it dawned on her. She'd seen it in the news reports. This was the alley way that Hanna and Terry were at when she'd been killed.

Rylana took a hold of his elbow and began to lead him away.

"Come on Ter," she said. "Let's go."

Terry nodded and the two of them turned around an headed back towards the McGinnis residence.

They were halfway to Terry's house when he said, "I can't forgive myself."

Rylana looked at him. "For what?"

"What happened that night."

"It wasn't your fault Terry. You're not the one that pulled the trigger or anything."

"But I didn't stop it. When he pulled out that gun I just froze up, I couldn't even tell her to run. I just stood there like a deer in headlights."

"You were scared, surprised, it's natural for a person to freeze up."

"I've gone up against five Jokers at once Ry, and I couldn't even have the guts to stop one man with a gun."

Rylana wanted to say more, but no words of comfort came to her mind. She didn't know what to tell him. So, she didn't say anything.

As they walked rain clouds began to roll in. It wasn't uncommon for late rain, it was just rarely expected; especially when the weather started out so pleasantly. Rylana had not anticipated the rain and so she did not have her jacket with her. Terry noted this and he removed his own jacket and draped it around her shoulders just as the rain began to pour.


	12. Chapter 12

_Author's Note:_

_Hi! I know the past few chapters have been short. To be honest I was sort of fishing around in the dark at that point, but I know what I'm doing now and oh…are you gonna LOVE it! This chapter may end up being short as well, just so ya know. ;)_

_Back to the show…_

Chapter 12: A Kiss…A Realization…

Terry walked with Hanna down the street. They were laughing back and forth talking about the movie they had just seen. Terry loved her long dark hair that shimmered in the light. He bent down and kissed her. She smiled at him and they continued to walk.

As they reached the alleyway they heard the sound of someone crying. They stopped and listened carefully. When the sobbing continued they walked towards it. There was a small child crying behind a garbage can. Terry knelt down in front of him.

"Hey," he said. The child didn't look at him. "What's wrong buddy?"

The boy said nothing, he just continued to cry. Terry placed a hand on his shoulder and tried again.

"Are you ok?"

The boy stopped crying. He looked up at Terry. Terry fell back in horror.

The boy…

There was the sound of footsteps. Terry and Hanna looked to find a man blocking the entrance to the alleyway. Terry immediately stood in front of Hanna.

"Who are you?" Terry demanded of the man.

"Calm down," the man told him. Terry could hear the coldness in his voice. It sent a chill to his bone that Terry would always feel every time he walked past that alley. "You're not the one I want."

Terry could feel the man's gaze looking past him to Hanna. He took a fighting stance.

"Not a chance," he said.

The little boy stood up. Hanna turned. She and Terry were back to back. The boy stared at her with those frightening eyes. He began to walk towards her.

"Terry," Hanna said with fright. Terry whipped around and pushed Hanna out of the way.

"Stay away from her!"

The boy lunged at him. Terry tried to pry him off, but the boy dug his abnormally long fingernails into Terry's shoulders and would not let go. Out of nowhere more people began coming at Terry. He tried to fight them off. As he struggled with the boy and the newly arrived attackers, Terry forgot about the other man.

The man advanced towards Hanna. She backed up against the wall. The look on the man's face was less than pleasant and it frightened her greatly.

"I know your secret," he said quietly. Hanna began to tremble.

"W-what secret?" she stammered.

"You know!" he breathed fiercely.

Terry was able to get the fighters off of him. He turned and saw the man standing in front of Hanna.

"Hanna!" Terry called out. There was a glint of light as the street lights reflected off the man's sword.

Terry awoke with a start. His clothes were soaked with his sweat and his body was trembling. He heard the sound of footsteps coming quickly to his bedroom door. It opened and Rylana entered.

At first Terry was surprised to see her. Then he remembered; Rylana's mother was out of town and se asked Mary McGinnis if Rylana could stay with them while she was gone. Mary was happy to oblige since she did not have a daughter of her own. That was one of the things she was looking forward to with Terry's Graduation. Once he was out of High School he was eligible for marriage. While she didn't want him to rush things, Mary McGinnis did want a daughter in law and so long as Terry and whom ever he married were happy and loved each other, she didn't mind too much how old he was.

Rylana hurried over to him. She sat down beside him. His breathing was heavy, labored, as though he'd run a mile without stopping. She put an arm around him.

"Terry," she said gently. "Are you alright?"

Terry took a deep breath. "Yeah," he said. "It was just…"

"…a nightmare about Hanna."

Terry looked at Rylana. She blushed slightly. "I heard you call out her name," she explained. "When I heard that I hurried to your room as fast as I could."

At that moment Terry's mother and his little brother came in.

"Are you alright Terry?" Mary asked sitting on the other side of her son.

"I'm fine," he told her.

"Did you have a bad dream?" Matt asked. Terry would have thought that Matt was meaning to taunt him if it hadn't been for the concerned looking his eyes. Terry simply nodded.

"You wanna talk about it?" Mary asked.

Terry shook his head. "Not right now," he said.

Mary nodded in understanding. She kissed her son on the forehead, took Matt by the hand and left the room. Rylana stood and turned to leave when Terry caught hold of her arm.

"Do you mind…staying a minute?"

Rylana looked at her friend. His eyes were pleading She smiled. She sat down on the bed beside him with her back against the headboard. She looked at his back, as he seemed to calm himself.

"It was about that night," he said quietly.

Rylana hung her head. "I'm sorry," she told him.

"I keep dreaming about it. Before it was just flashes, hazy memories. This time…it was everything. The details were all there. I felt like I was reliving it or something. I got as far as a second before she…"

Tears came down his cheeks. Rylana began to run her hand over his back in comfort. "It's alright," she told him.

He lay back and rested his head on her stomach. It pained Rylana to look at him. He trusted her so much. She loved him just as much, if not more.

Rylana stroked Terry's hair, leaned back her head and fell asleep.

"No leads on the whereabouts of Jake," Bruce said as Terry entered the cave. He saw the circles under Terry's eyes. "You look tired, more so than usual I mean."

"I had a long night last night," Terry said.

Bruce nodded. "Your mother called me and said you'd had a tough night so if your work wasn't as efficient as normal I'd know why." Terry was silent. "You wanna talk about it?"

"I just…" Terry began. He shrugged. "I dunno. I had a nightmare, well, a memory more or less. About, that night…"

"I see."

"Well, Rylana and my mom and brother all came in because they heard me cry out Hanna's name. My mom and brother left, but Rylana stayed. Well, I asked her to stay. We talked a little, then I sorta leaned on her, well, I laid my head on her stomach and we fell asleep like that." Bruce smiled. Terry gave him a look. "Nothing happened."

Bruce put his hands in the air.

"Anyways, it was nice having her there. I'd sometimes get restless, and she'd start stroking my hair and just talk to me. I dunno, it was strange and yet…"

"Scary?"

"No."

"Annoying?"

"No."

"Nice?"

Terry didn't answer. "Or maybe perhaps wonderful? Exhilarating, the best feeling you've ever felt?"

"Yeah," Terry said as though he'd just realized it.

The computer began beeping. Bruce typed away at the keyboard. "Hold up at the bank."

Bruce turned and Terry was already suited and ready to go. "Be careful," Bruce said.

Terry smiled. "Aren't I always?"

Bruce rolled his eyes.

Terry flew into the wall. What were these guys on? It was easy to take out any normal burglars, but these guys had some serious juice. Terry stood up. His ribcage was aching. That last throw probably did some damage. He advanced on the big man.

Terry leapt into the air. Just as he did the man's fist shot out and caught him right in the gut. Terry had the wind knocked out of him and so he had to stop a moment to breathe. As he did so the man came at him with a bat. He hit him in the side of the head. Terry's head pounded and his vision blurred. He saw the shadow of the burglar heading towards him but his thoughts were too jumbled for him to react.

The man suddenly face planted onto the floor. Terry saw the blurry outline of a person standing where the man was. Whoever it was must have knocked him out for he now lay motionless.

Night Angel walked over to him. She helped him to stand. His head spun. That was quite the blow. She led him out of the building. Terry didn't exactly know how it happened, but somehow they ended up on the roof. She laid him down so that he could gather his thoughts.

Once his vision cleared and Terry could think he stood up. Night Angel was standing on the edge of the building. He walked over to her. Rain began to fall and as it did there was a bright flash of lightning. Terry looked at the Night Angel for that brief moment. The light illuminated her figure, every detail; her beautiful long hair, the soft features of her face, every single curve of her body.

Terry turned to face her. She turned to him. He took a step forward so that their bodies were just barely an inch from touching. He leaned down and was finally granted the kiss he'd been so longing to give her.

At first the Night Angel did not react, but as the seconds past she relaxed and began to kiss him back. She put her arms around his neck and he put his around her waist. What started as a simple kiss soon became a passionate expression of love and desire.

Minutes passed and they finally pulled apart. There was a strange air about the two of them. They were both soaked and yet neither one of them felt the least bit cold. Terry looked deep into her eyes. A sudden flash of Rylana came to him and he took a step back in surprise.

Night Angel gave him a curious look. Police sirens sounded in the distance and Terry turned to look. He turned back and just like in the old cemetery chapel, Night Angel disappeared.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Author's Note:**_

_**Upon writing this chapter I realized that when Rylana went to see Jake he was walking, and yet when he fell off the roof it caused him to be paralyzed. So, we'll say this: The paralysis was brief and obtained merely from the over all shock of the incident. If you don't like it…well, YOU can come up with a better explanation…LOL. **_

Chapter 13: Secrets Revealed

_Hello Night Angel_

Rylana stared at the text message in surprise. She was lying on her bed checking her voice mail when it had been sent. She didn't recognize the number.

_Who is this? How'd you get my cell?_

_Your mom gave it to me._

_You haven't answered my first question. Who are you?_

_Your friend._

Rylana rolled her eyes.

_Shockingly enough, I do have more than one of those._

_Batman._

Rylana paused. Her heart seemed to stop. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back.

Another text came.

_Why didn't' you tell me?_

Rylana thought about the best way to answer Terry.

_Habit, at least, that's what it was in the beginning. I was going to tell you that day I went to see you at your house; the day Jake was taken I mean._

_And before that?_

_sigh I just watched how you were and…_

_And…?_

_You were always the same. Whether you were Batman or Terry, you had the same beliefs, actions, and whatnot. Rylana wants to please everyone. Night Angel can be herself with no worries about what others think. She has a mask to hide who she is…_

…

_What?_

_Rylana, that's not entirely true…about me I mean…_

_What do you mean it's not entirely true?_

_sigh When Hanna died, Terry wanted to get revenge on the man who did it, he couldn't care less about justice. Batman was fighting to serve it. The act I put on as Batman soon began to wear out. I realized that Terry's anger was affecting Batman's attitude towards justice._

_How so?_

_That night I fought Jake, he said things…things about Hanna and her killer…I was so angry. I wanted to kill him. I almost did too. It was a miracle he didn't break his neck and die from that fall, and I was the cause of it._

_I see…_

There was no response. Rylana let out a deep sigh. She felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She didn't have to keep her secret from Terry anymore. Well, _one _of her secrets no longer had to be kept. There was still one that she knew he should be told, but she didn't know how to tell him.

She got another text.

_Can I come in?_

Rylana looked at her phone. There was a knock on her door. It wasn't fully closed so the knock caused it to open all the way. Terry stood there.

Rylana sat up straight. They held each other's gaze, not giving any hint as to what they were feeling. Terry came over and sat down on the bed beside her.

"How did you find out?" Rylana asked.

"Kissing you last night," he told her.

"Oh." Rylana looked down and blushed. Terry lifted her chin so they could look at each other.

"Rylana," he said. "You told me that Night Angel was free to be who she was, and Rylana was busy pleasing people."

Rylana nodded.

"Don't worry about it. You're wonderful and beautiful just the way you are. The only reason I didn't really see you was because of Night Angel. But she is you; you are her, which makes me love you all the more."

"Really?"

Terry nodded. He leaned forward and kissed her. They kissed a moment and then he pulled away. "That's not the best idea," he said. Rylana looked at him quizzically. "Not here, alone, at least."

Realization came to Rylana. She smiled as her respect and admiration for this young man grew one hundred fold. She put her arms around him and leaned her head on his chest. She could hear his heartbeat. It was beating as fast as hers. He put his arms around her and leaned his head against hers. She felt so relieved to finally be this way with him, not as the Night Angel, but as Rylana, the girl that loved him and who he loved in return.

Terry stood up. He took Rylana's hands and brought her to her feet.

"I want you to meet someone," he said. He led her out of the room and to the stairs.

"But you have work," Rylana said.

"I know."

Terry continued out the front door. He opened the passenger side door of his car for Rylana, shut it, and then got into the driver's seat. Once they were buckled in and the car was running, Terry took off down the road towards the highway. He drove up the familiar side street and when he reached the large gate he stopped and got out of the car.

"Where are we?" Rylana asked.

"It's a surprise," Terry told her.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"I want to show you something." He led her down the path to the Batcave entrance. Rylana was astounded by it. She followed Terry for a time and when they reached a certain point they stopped.

"Wait here until I beckon to you," he told her. She nodded. She stood there and watched Terry enter the main cavern of the cave. It was filled with various artifacts. Rylana looked as closely as she could from where she stood. There was a large computer on the far side of the cavern. An old man was sitting at it. She squinted as Terry approached him. Rylana realized that this was the man that had been helping Terry with his duties as Batman.

"Hey," Terry said.

The man turned and Rylana had to cover her mouth to keep from letting out a surprised gasp. It was Mr. Wayne!

"Hey Terry," Bruce said. He looked at his watch. "Five minutes early, that's a new one."

"Ha, ha, ha, funny…"

Bruce smiled.

"There was actually something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh? And what was that?"

"A while ago you asked me who it was that I liked. I was about to tell you but we were interrupted. Now I'm going to tell you who it is."

"And the lucky girl is…?"

"The Night Angel."

Bruce stared at him blankly. "I see," he said.

"I'm going out with Rylana."

Now Bruce was confused.

"You said that the reason you didn't want to go out with her was because of the Night Angel, because you liked her not Rylana; why the changed of mind?"

"I haven't changed my mind; I like the Night Angel."

"Then why are you going out with Rylana?"

"Because I like Rylana."

"You just said you liked the Night Angel!"

"I do."

"And you like Rylana as well."

"Kind of."

Bruce threw his hands up in the air. "Either you like the girl or not!"

Terry smiled. He then motioned for Rylana to come over. As Rylana walked towards him Bruce turned and saw her. His eyes went wide.

"Terry…"he began.

"Don't worry Bruce," Terry said. "Rylana has a special kind of…_connection_ to the Night Angel."

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"A kind of connection that you, me, Barbara Gordon and many others have had."

Realization came to Bruce's mind. "_She's_…"

"Uh huh."

Bruce gave Rylana a blank stare.

"Surprise, surprise," she told him.

"I'll say," Bruce said.

Terry decided to propose something to Bruce.

"What if Rylana and I teamed up? You know, Night Angel and Batman; we'd be able to combine information and whatnot. Maybe we'd be able to find Hanna's killer."

"That's not a bad idea." Bruce turned to Rylana. "How 'bout it?"

Rylana stood there frozen. She didn't know what to say. After a moment she said, "Excuse me please," and hurried out of the Cave. Terry stood confused for a short time, and then he went after her. Bruce turned on his security cameras and watched.

Rylana got as far as the gate before Terry finally caught up with her.

"What's wrong Rylana?" he asked her. "If you don't want to be partners that's fine, you didn't have to run out."

"It's not that," Rylana said quietly. She looked down.

"What is it?"

Rylana took a deep breath. Now was the time for her to tell the complete truth.

"Before Hanna moved, I was living with her and her dad," Rylana began. "My mom and I had gotten into a pretty big fight and I left. Hanna didn't know about my being the Night Angel. Anyways, one night while we were out at a movie, a convict was running through the neighborhood. To hide from the police he climbed in through an open window of a nearby house." Rylana paused. "He looked around the room and discovered that it was Hanna's bedroom. What he didn't know was that she and I were sharing the room at the time. My bed was a cot that we stored in the closet. He tried to see if there was anything he could steal and in the process of doing so he opened the closet. He saw my Night Angel outfit. Normally I would have it in the back where it couldn't be found, but I was in a hurry and didn't have the chance to put it there." Rylana's voice caught and tears spilled down her cheeks.

"He found out you were the Night Angel…"Terry said. Rylana shook her head.

"No, he found out the room was Hanna's, and thought she was the Night Angel."

Terry stared at her in disbelief. "The man that killed Hanna…"

"Terry I'm so sorry I didn't tell you…"

Terry turned his back to her. "…he killed her because he thought she was you."

Rylana held back the sob in her throat. "Terry…" she began. Terry turned and started to walk away. "Terry please," Rylana begged. He stopped.

"No," he said quietly. "Being the Night Angel is one thing. This…it's a whole new playing field. It's going to take a while for me to get used to it. Even if I do I'm not sure what my feelings will be." He walked away.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Lecture, Mending, and Changes

Rylana opened the front door. She was so overcome with emotion it took everything she had not to simply collapse to the floor. She walked to the bottom of the stairs. AS she made her way up them her mother came out from her room and waited at the top.

"And just _where_ have you been young lady?" she asked. Rylana didn't answer. She passed her mother and continued to her room. "Excuse me! I asked you a question."

Rylana stopped at her bedroom door. "I…"she began but her throat caught. Her body was racked with sobs and she hurried into her room. Her mother stood where she was absolutely flabbergasted and for the first time Rylana's mother felt a deep sorrow for your daughter. She wanted to make sure she was alright, but had a feeling that it would be best to let her be alone for an hour or so.

Terry walked back into the Batcave. Bruce was sitting with his back to the computer, his eyes fixed on the teen. The two held gazes a moment and then Bruce looked down, shaking his head.

"Terry," he began but Terry cut him off.

"I know what you're going to say Bruce," he told him his anger kindling. "I shouldn't have been so hard on her, but what do you expect? The one girl in my life that I truly felt like I loved gets killed because her friend was careless! Did you think I would just tell her 'Oh it's alright, I forgive you'!? Not telling me she was the Night Angel I can forgive. I know what it's like to have that kind of a secret. But that!? I'm sorry Bruce but I _can't _forgive her."

"You _can't_, or you _won't_?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Bruce sighed. "Terry, everyone has the capability to forgive. I had the capability to forgive the man that killed my parents. Instead I chose not to. I _chose_ to Terry. It wasn't that I _couldn't_."

Terry decided to leave. He didn't want to here this from Bruce, not now.

"McGinnis!"

Terry stopped. That tone had been used on him countless times.

"Rylana made a mistake. It took courage to tell you that."

"Yeah, well she sure seems like a coward to me."

"Then what does that make you!?"

Terry turned on him.

"She already _knew_ I was Batman! She _knew_ my secret!"

"You didn't know she did until you discovered hers!"

Terry opened his mouth to speak but closed it again. Bruce was right. Until last night it was the Night Angel that knew Terry's secret, not Rylana. He could not expect her to be upfront with him when he was not fully upfront with her. However, he was not about to admit this to Bruce.

"It isn't the same," he told him hoping to not only convince his mentor but himself as well.

"Hogwash! You know as well as I do it is!"

Terry looked away angrily.

"You haven't told anyone your secret."

"That's because I didn't want them to be in danger!"

Bruce shook his head. "In this line of business McGinnis, the ones you care about most will _always_ be in danger, whether they know your secret or not."

Terry hung his head. He gave up.

"I just can't look at her the same Bruce," Terry said.

"I'd be amazed if you could."

Terry looked up and gave Bruce a confused look.

"The truth is," Bruce said. "After knowing something like that, you're going to change; your thoughts and opinions are going to change."

"But you just said…"

"I know what I said. Let me finish and then maybe you'll get my meaning. There are two things that can happen; two ways that you can change. The first is you can be mad at her for her dishonesty, never speak to her, and think of her only as a person whose company you no longer enjoy nor desire to have. You can choose not to forgive her and believe that what she did is unforgivable. _Or_, you can accept that she made a mistake. You can realize just how great and wonderful she is for telling you the truth when she knew what the results could be. You can realize that you aren't the only one being tormented by this knowledge; that it pains her to know the truth as much as it does you. You can choose to forgive her and let it go."

Terry shook his head."I just…"

"Sleep on it Terry," Bruce said. He then turned back to the computer and began typing away at it. Terry waited and then left to go home.

At nine o'clock there was a knock on Rylana's door. She'd cried herself to sleep and then awoke to the sound of fist on wood. She sat up. "Come in," she said.

The door opened and her mother entered. She sat down on the bed beside her daughter. The two were silent, neither one quite certain of what to say. Surprisingly enough, her mother was the one to break the silence.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "And don't tell me 'nothing'; I could here you crying from my room."

The tears came to Rylana's eyes once more. "Oh mom," she said. Her mother put an arm around her as she cried.

"There, there," her mother said. "This boy can't be worth this much pain, can he?"

Rylana laughed through her tears. "Strangely enough he is," she replied. "He's the first boy I've cried over that is worth it." Silence enveloped the room once again and Rylana felt as though she were in a dream. Never in her life had she had this intimate of a moment with her mother. In fact, she'd _never _had an intimate moment with her.

"I know things have been…"

"Crazy?" Rylana finished.

"Bad would be a better word I think. I haven't been the mother I should have, and while you may not show it, I know you've felt the repercussions of it. I guess you could say I've been selfish, _very_ selfish."

Rylana sat up and looked at her mom seriously. "What brought all of this on?"

Her mother shrugged. "I saw you go to your room and heard you cry; you've never done that before. At least, not that I know of."

"I've never done it here at home that's true."

"You could say that hearing you cry was a kind of slap in the face for me. I realized that, even though I am your mother, I couldn't tell what it was that had been bothering you. I've never been able to. That's when I knew, I was wrong."

Rylana looked down. "My attitude didn't help much I'm sure."

"What do you mean?"

"If I'd been nicer, more kind, it would have helped." She laughed a little. "Like Cinderella I guess. That's how I should've been."

"Ah, but Cinderella's step-mother never grew kind did she? Rylana, your attitude, the stubborn head strong personality of yours, may not have been the greatest choice, that's true, but I never would have noticed your pain today if you were always nice, or always crying."

Rylana leaned over and hugged her mother. At first the move had stunned her, but after a moment the gesture was returned.

"You're back early," Mary McGinnis said as her son entered the house.

"Mr. Wayne let me off early," Terry said and then he went into his room. Mary waited a moment and then followed after him. She knocked on his door and opened it.

"Are you alright Terry?" she asked.

"Yeah," Terry said.

_It's almost like deja vou,_ Mary thought. _The last time something like this happened with the two of us was when his father died._

"Well," she said. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask, alright?"

Terry nodded and his mother left the room.

The following morning Terry woke up later than he normally did on Saturdays. His alarm clock read 10:30. He went out into the kitchen and found a message on the fridge stating that Matt was over at a friend's house and his mom was at work.

"And I have nobody to hang out with," he said glumly. Just then the phone rang and Terry picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hey Ter it's Dana."

Terry was silent with surprise.

"Are you there?" Dana asked.

"Yeah, sorry, I just wasn't expecting you to call. What's up?"

"Oh, nothing much, I'm just hanging out with Chelsea and the rest of the group. You doing anything?"

"No, not right now at least."

"You should come and join us."

Terry hesitated. He didn't want to and yet the idea somehow had some appeal to it.

"Alright," he said.

"Great! Just meet us all at Chelsea's."

"Alright, I'll see you there."

"Yep, bye."

"Bye."

Terry hung up the phone, left a message for his mother and brother, and then left.

When he finally got to Chelsea's his friends were all waiting for him.

"Hey there Ter!" Chelsea said. "Long time no see!"

"Yeah, sorry about that," Terry told her.

"So are we all ready to go?" Dana asked.

Everyone gave out an exclamation of affirmation and the group of teens hopped in their cars and left.

Rylana sat on her bed. She hadn't slept at all after talking with her mom and she didn't feel much like going out and doing anything. The clock on her desk read eleven o'clock. She sighed.

Her mother knocked and then entered.

"Hey," she said.

Rylana smiled at her. "Hey," she said.

"Do you want to get some pizza? Maybe we could go to the mall afterwards?"

It was so strange to hear her mother ask that. Rylana shrugged. "Sure, I guess we could."

Her mother smiled. "Alright, I'll wait downstairs while you get ready."

It took Rylana only about ten minutes to get ready, and then she and her mother were out the door, in the car, and headed for the mall.

They spent an hour shopping around the mall, buying clothes, trinkets, and whatever else they wanted. Afterwards they went to the Pizza shop and sat outside enjoying a couple slices of pepperoni. Rylana pinched herself a couple of times to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

"I wish we'd done this sooner," her mom said.

"What do you mean?" Rylana asked as she took a bite of pizza.

"I mean, I wish things would have mended between us sooner. The past few years may have been more enjoyable."

Rylana smiled. She picked up her pizza again and was about to take another bite when she spotted Dana and her friends. She slowly set the pizza down and just watched them. Her mother turned to see what she was looking at. Dana sat down next to the person she'd been standing behind and Rylana's heart sank. It was Terry.

"Is that the boy?" her mother asked.

Rylana nodded numbly. "Can we leave," she asked her mother.

"Sure, I'll get the car." Her mother stood up, paid for their pizza, and then headed for the car. Rylana stood and got her things together. While she did so Terry got up from his own table and went to throw something away. He saw Rylana and stopped just a few feet from her table. She looked up at him.

The two stood there in silence. Terry immediately began to feel guilty, although he didn't know what to say. Rylana wanted to scream and yell at him, tell him how upset she was, but she said nothing. Instead she waited for him to speak. She wanted him to apologize but she somehow knew that that was not likely to happen. After five minutes or so she simply shook her head and left. Terry opened his mouth to call after her but the words would not escape his lips.

Two weeks after Rylana told Terry about Hanna's death she received a phone call from her father.

"Hey Ry," he said. "How's it going?"

"Oh, you know, just the same old stuff."

"I see. any boyfriends yet?"

"No, not yet." _There was one for like, three hours,_ she thought to herself. _Then it all went downhill._

"I was actually wanting to talk to your mother, is she home?"

"No, she's out buying some things for our movie night tonight."

There was silence on the other end.

"The two of you are having a movie night?" her father asked in disbelief.

Rylana laughed and explained to him about how her and her mother had began to patch things up. She didn't tell him the reason she had been crying.

"I see." Silence once again. "So are you going to tell me what was wrong that day?"

"Oh, it's not important," she lied.

"Come on, you know I can tell when you're lying."

Rylana smiled.

"I was just having some boy troubles."

"Oh, typical high school girl, eh?"

"Ha, ha, ha, right…"

Her father chuckled.

"Well," he said. "When your mother gets home have her call me alright?"

"Will do."

The two of them then said their goodbyes and then hung up.

Bruce knocked on the front door and waited. It only took a moment for Matt McGinnis to answer it.

"Hi Mr. Wayne!" Matt exclaimed. "Terry's not here."

"That's alright; I was actually hoping to speak with your mother."

"Okay, come on in, I'll go and get her."

Bruce only had to wait a minute before Mary McGinnis came into the living room.

"Hello Mr. Wayne," she said with a smile, outstretching her hand to him. He shook it.

"Hello Mrs. McGinnis," he replied.

"You _can _call me Mary."

"And _you_ can call me Bruce."

Mary smiled. The two of them sat down.

"So," Mary said. "What was it you needed you speak to me about?"

"I was actually wondering how Terry's been. We've been working together a lot these past few weeks but I haven't had a chance to really check up on him. I hope his work isn't interfering with any of your summer plans."

"Oh no, it's quite alright."

"That's good. Where is Terry now?"

"Out with some friends."

"Rylana?"

Mary shook her head. "No," she said sadly. "Dana, Chelsea and the others."

Bruce nodded. "I see."

Matt walked into the room.

"Hey mom, can I turn on the television?"

Mary looked at the clock. "Your show isn't on for another half an hour."

"I know, but I want to see if there are any new Batman stories on the news."

Bruce smiled. Mary gave in. "Alright," she said.

Matt turned on the news.

_"Last night a woman was nearly killed while walking home from the rail station. Shirley Everett said she was stopped by a man with a gun and he demanded her money. She gave all she had with her to the man. He tried to take advantage of her and she fought back. They struggled and then the man threw her to the ground he pointed the gun at her and just before pulling the trigger Batman arrived on the scene. The woman is fine and suffered only some bruises and scratches." _The Anchorman turned to the woman beside him. "_This has definitely been a busy week for Batman."_

_"Yes it has," _the anchorwoman replied. "_Especially since the Night Angel has not been spotted for the past two weeks."_

Bruce's attention was piqued. _So that's why our workload has been more than normal,_ he thought.

"Well," Bruce said standing up. "I've got somewhere else to be. Thank you for your time Mary."

"Anytime Bruce," Mary said with a smile.

Bruce then left.

"So," Rylana's mother said as she turned off the television. "I talked to your father."

"I know," Rylana said. She thought that her mother would bring up what was said between her and Rylana's father before they started their movie, but she figured that whatever it was must have been important because her mom didn't want any prior engagements to cut the discussion short.

"He wants you to come and see him," she said.

Rylana turned to face her mother. "For how long?"

"He wanted you to stay until Christmas, maybe New Years, but I requested a different length of time."

"Oh?"

Her mother nodded. "I suggested that you stay permanently, or until you felt like coming back here to Gotham."

Rylana stared at her mother absolutely stunned. "You, _want_ me to leave here for good?"

"No I don't, but I know how hard it's been for you here. What with Hanna's death, the stress of a new school without any real friends, then your problems with Terry. Not to mention I haven't been much of a stress reliever either. You're just always so happy when you visit your father in England. I thought that it would be a nice kind of change for you."

"I see," Rylana said.

The two were quiet.

"You think about it," her mother said. "Let me know what you decide."

Rylana nodded. The doorbell rang and her mother stood up to answer it. A few seconds later she came back in. Rylana turned to find Bruce standing behind her.

"I'll be in the other room," her mom said and then she left. Bruce sat down.

"You've been slacking off the past two weeks I hear," he said.

Rylana looked down. "It's just…"

"You can't focus after what happened with Terry."

"Yeah. I don't know Bruce. Normally fighting crime would help me to get everything off my chest. These past two weeks I haven't had much of a desire to go out and do it."

"I've been wondering why Terry and I have been loaded down with more work than normal."

"Sorry about that."

"It's alright; I understand completely."

Rylana looked up at him. "How is Terry?"

Bruce shook his head. "I'm not entirely sure," he told her. "He's dating Dana again."

"Oh…"

Bruce regretted telling her that.

"Rylana…"

"My dad called today," she said cutting him off. "He wants me to go to England and stay with him."

"Really, for how long?"

"Well, his first proposal was that I just stay until Christmas, maybe New Years, but my mom suggested that I stay permanently, until I feel like coming back."

This was not what Bruce had expected. "And what are you going to do?" he finally asked her.

"I'm going to go there and stay until I want to come back." She looked down. "To be honest, I don't' know that I will be back."

Bruce nodded.

"Don't tell Terry," Rylana said.

"Are you going to tell him?"

"I think I'll write to him when I get to my dad's place."

"I think you should tell him before that."

"He probably won't even realize I'm gone until he gets the letter," Rylana said glumly. "Besides, I don't want to have a face to face confrontation with him. Not again."

Bruce stood up. "I wish you the best Rylana. I may not see you before you go."

Rylana stood. Bruce held out his hand. Rylana ignored it and hugged him. He stood there wide-eyed, not quite sure of what to do.

"Thanks Bruce," she told him. "For everything."

"Anytime," he told her.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Departure

"Do you have everything packed?" Rylana's mother asked.

Rylana nodded. "I left the stuff I want mailed to me in my closet," she told her.

"Alright." The two stood there a moment and then Rylana's mother began to cry. Rylana hugged her.

"It's not like this is the first time I've left for England mom," she said in an attempt to comfort her.

"I know, but I knew you'd be back. Not to mention things were different then."

Rylana's own eyes began to water. "I know," she said. She felt guilty leaving her mother when things had just begun to go right for them, but she couldn't stay. She pulled away.

"Be sure and let Gale know where you parked the car," her mother said. "He'll drop it off to me after he gets off work at the bus depot."

Rylana nodded. She and her mother hugged a final time and then she was out the door.

Bruce glanced at Terry continuously. He wanted desperately to tell him about Rylana's plans to leave for England that evening, force him in a way to apologize to her, but he had promised Rylana he wouldn't tell. He looked at his watch. Her bus would be leaving within the hour.

"So…" Bruce said.

"So what?" Terry asked somewhat annoyed.

"Have you made your decision about Rylana?"

Terry turned away.

"It's been three weeks Terry; you have to decide sooner or later."

Terry still didn't answer. There was silence in the cave, but only for a moment or two , for there was a beeping noise from the computer signaling a crime was being committed. Terry walked to the Batsuit and put it on. Bruce noticed how he seemed to take just a little longer than normal, as though the task were tedious.

"I was thinking," Terry said, "about talking to Rylana after I get off work today."

Bruce turned in his chair and looked at him.

"I need to apologize to her."

"Then go!" Bruce said earnestly. Terry stared at him in a puzzled way.

"Now?" he asked.

"Yes, _now!_"

"But what about the…" he began, pointing at the computer.

"Never mind that! We can't stop every crime in Gotham; I'm sure the public will forgive us. Now _go!"_

"You want me to just drop everything tonight just to apologize to her?"

"MCGINNIS! GO!"

Terry didn't need to be told again. He changed out of the Batsuit and left quickly.

"What in the world is up with him?" he asked himself as he drove down the highway. "I mean, it's just an apology; why would he be so anxious for me to get it done?" He pulled up in front of Rylana's house and noted that the car was gone. "Odd." He got out of the car and walked up to the front door.

It only took a short moment for Rylana's mother to answer the door.

"Yes?" she said.

"Is Rylana here?" Terry asked.

"No." Her mother squinted slightly. "You're Terry McGinnis, aren't you?"

From her tone of voice Terry could tell that she knew, at least partly, what had taken place between him and Rylana. "Yes, I am," he said somewhat hesitantly.

"I see."

"Look, I came over here to apologize. I was a jerk, a big jerk, and I should've done this sooner, but, well, here I am."

"Oh," her mother said. "I'm sorry, but you're too late."

Terry's eyebrows knit together in confusion. "What do you mean I'm too late?"

"Rylana's already left for the bus depot."

"Why?"

"She's going to New York."

"New York! Why!?"

"She's going to take a plane from there to England so she can stay with her father."

"For how long?"

Rylana's mother didn't say anything.

"Please," Terry said with all of the sincerity he could. "I need to know."

"I don't think she'll be coming back. Not for a long while at least."

Terry's eyes went wide. "Thank you," he said. He ran to his car, started it, and then sped off down the street. He had to get to the depot before she left. Now he began to understand Bruce's urgency. Had he found out on his own or had Rylana told him? If she'd told him, why didn't she say anything to Terry? Was she planning to ever tell him? These were the questions fogging up Terry's mind as he sped through the city.

He arrived at the depot at half past seven. He parked his car in front and ran into the building. He looked around for the information desk and upon finding it ran over to it.

"When does the bus to New York leave?" Terry asked trying to catch his breath.

"It just did," the woman said. "About five minutes ago."

Terry hit the desk and turned away from the woman. It was too late. There was no way he could get to her now. Suddenly an idea came to him.

"What route does it take?" Terry asked the woman.

"It takes Interstate…"

"No, I mean through Gotham; what side streets or main streets does it take to get to the interstate?"

"Just a moment." She got onto the radio and called the bus driver. Terry paced back and forth as she talked. He prayed the bus hadn't reached the Interstate yet. The woman set down the radio and Terry waited eagerly for her response.

"He's taking Main to Fiftieth and then Fiftieth down to the Interstate," she said.

"Thank you so much!" Terry ran out to his car and again found himself speeding down the road. The bus depot was on Main street, which meant that his only real chance to get to the bus before it hit the Interstate was to take some side streets. He turned right on the first one he reached and pressed down on the accelerator. What he didn't know that this particular side street twisted and turned in all sorts of directions and he soon found himself lost. He looked around desperately trying to find something familiar. When the road did finally straighten out he saw something that made his heart leap. It was the Interstate. Now all he had to do was get to Fiftieth Street.

As he drove towards the Interstate he looked out to his left. He did a double take and realized that the line of trees was merely a median and that there was a bus on the other side. It had to be Rylana's, at least, he hoped so. Terry sped up once again passing the bus. He hoped he would find an intersecting street he could turn onto. He saw one.

Terry made a sharp left and counted his blessings as he realized that he used no signal, but no cars were behind him. When he reached the intersection at Fiftieth Street he stopped the car, blocking any oncoming traffic heading for the Interstate. Fortunately, the bus was the only vehicle on the road.

The driver saw Terry's car and slammed on his own brakes. Terry braced himself for impact, hoping beyond hope that he'd at least make it out of this collision alive. It got closer and Terry shut his eyes tight. The tires on the halting bus screeched and grew louder as it approached. Then, almost abruptly it seemed, the screeching stopped.

Terry slowly opened his eyes and found the bus to be just inches from his car. He looked up at the bus driver who was yelling at him, but he couldn't care less what he was saying. He got out on the passenger's side, walked around his car and knocked on the bus doors.

"What the heck are you doing!?" The driver yelled as the doors opened. "What kind of an idiot stops in front of a bus like that!?"

"One in desperate need of talking to a passenger on that bus," Terry said as he boarded. He looked around at the shocked and angry faces of the passengers. She wasn't near the front or in the middle, and he had begun to think he'd stopped the wrong bus when he saw her beautiful brunette hair and those gorgeous green eyes. He hurried over to her.

Rylana stood. "What are you _doing_ Terry!?" she demanded.

"I had to get to you before you left for good," he said.

"So you nearly get yourself killed and delay all the rest of these passengers' trip?"

"Ry, I'm sorry."

That shut her up. She had not expected that.

"I screwed up. I acted irrationally when you told me about Hanna. I was too stubborn and pigheaded to realize just how great you were."

Rylana could feel the eyes of every passenger watching her intently; all thoughts of being late fleeing their minds as they watch the moment between these to teenagers unfold.

"The truth is Rylana, I love you." Rylana was speechless. Terry continued. "I love you more than anything. I've been thinking a lot these past three weeks, and as much as I cared for Hanna, somehow, you mean just a little more. I'm sorry I hurt you, and I know our relationship won't get any easier, but I'm willing to try." Still Rylana was silent. "Say something, please," Terry said.

Rylana looked down. For a moment Terry's heart dropped.

"That day I told you," She began, "I went home and sat in my room crying. My mom eventually came in and made the comment that whoever it was I was crying over wasn't worth my tears." Rylana looked into Terry's eyes. "I told her that you were. For the first time in my life my tears were worth it. I love you Terry, more than anything in this world."

Terry leaned forward and kissed her and it all felt like deja vou to her. The kiss she'd been longing for, the one that said "I love you more than anything" was finally hers. She returned the kiss as her heart and soul seemed to jump all the way to the sky, wishing to never come down again.

There was applause from the rest of the passengers and Terry and Rylana broke apart. Their faces broke into smiles as the other inhabitants of the bus gave a standing ovation. The bus driver got out of his seat.

"Yes, yes," he said. "Congratulations, happy the two of you patched things up, but can we _please_ get a move on? I've never been late and I don't intend to start today."

Terry and Rylana laughed. They collected her bags and threw them into the back of Terry's car. They then moved the car and headed back to Rylana's.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: The Real Work Begins…

"So," Terry said as he and Rylana walked hand in hand towards the Batcave, "Our first day on the job together."

"Yeah," Rylana replied. She leaned on his shoulder. "It's going to be weird."

"I know; I've never had a sidekick before."

Rylana slapped his arm playfully. "_Partner_," she corrected.

Terry stopped at the entrance to the cave.

"Partner," he said. He leaned down and kissed her.

"Enough mush; let's get to work."

Terry and Rylana looked to see Bruce watching them. They pulled away and blushed slightly. "I understand it's been nearly twenty four hours since you confessed your love for each other, but we've got things to do."

The two followed him to the computer.

"I just got a report from Barbara Gordon," Bruce said as he sat down. "I think it's something you'll want to see."

The three of them looked the report over. Apparently there had been another attempt on someone's life. This time it was some vigilante or whatever in another city.

"That's weird," Terry said. "Someone wants to kill the Night Angel, Batman, and now this person."

"Sounds like someone's trying to kill off the heroes," Rylana said.

"Yeah," Bruce agreed, "Not only these new ones but old ones as well."

"What do you mean?"

"Barbara got a threatening message last night." Bruce pulled out the paper and showed it to the teens.

_We know who you are Batgirl. Stay out of the business, or everything you hold dear is ours!_

"And she has no idea who sent it?" Rylana asked.

Bruce shook his head.

"Something weird is going on," Terry said. "That's for sure."

There was a beeping noise from the computer and Bruce, like clockwork, began typing away at it.

"Hold up at the school," Bruce said. He turned to Rylana and Terry. "Some school event tonight?"

They nodded. "Pre-season game," they told him.

"Be careful."

The two then got dressed, boarded the Batmobile, and were on their way.

The school was quiet. It gave Rylana the creeps not seeing any students or teachers in it. She was used to the hustle and bustle of school life. The school seemed dead and Rylana jumped at every moving shadow. She somehow sensed that she was not the one hunting, but rather the one being hunted.

There were footsteps coming down the hall and she quickly hid in nearby shadows. Three students walked passed.

"This is a tight game!" one, a boy about fifteen years of age, exclaimed.

"Definitely," his buddy replied.

"We had better win though," the girl accompanying the boys said. "If we don't then it's like…like…"

"Totally not cool," the boys said together.

Rylana rolled her eyes. "Freshmen," she said under her breath.

When the students had left Rylana continued walking down the hall. As she thought about the students she was struck with a realization. Those students seemed just fine and dandy, and if that was the case, then the hold up couldn't have been at the game. So where was it? Rylana's heart rate increased, but she continued down the hall, her hand on the pager Bruce had made for her and Terry to let each other know when they needed back up.

Terry was checking out the locker rooms. When he had heard the sounds of cheering students coming from the field, he realized that it was a normal game taking place; no hold up of any sort. So, he decided on the locker rooms. He continued with his hunch that this intruder or whatnot that set of the alarm had some kind of a connection with the game.

There wasn't much to find in the locker room. The players had left their bags in there, but upon searching through them Terry found nothing among the contents that proved life threatening. He searched the lockers, the showers. Still nothing.

"Something isn't right," Terry said to himself.

There was the sound of footsteps coming into the locker room and Terry quickly turned on his camouflage. The team entered.

_Must be half-time_, Terry thought.

Terry waited somewhat patiently for the team to finally leave. Apparently they had started to lose, but Terry really couldn't care less. He needed to find out what was going on at the school and get it taken care of.

When the locker room was finally empty again Terry turned off the camouflage. He headed for the door. Suddenly he heard a beeping noise. He looked down at his belt and saw Bruce's pager blinking. Terry pulled it of his belt quick as a flash and looked at the tracking map. Rylana was on the other side of the school.

Terry ran down the hallways using the tracker to figure out the best route to get to her. He watched the screen and to his horror the blinking dot pinpointing her location was gone. Terry stopped dead in his tracks.

"Something's really wrong," he said. He turned on his com-link.

"Bruce," he said urgently.

_"Yes," _Bruce replied.

"Rylana just paged me, but something happened and her signal was turned off. Is there any way for me to get it back?"

"I can trace back to the last location pinpointed, but it'll take a few minutes. When I send you the coordinates set them into your tracker and then hit the show; it'll get you the quickest way to Rylana."

"Does this thing take into account walls?" Terry asked as he continued down the hallway.

"Yes, it does. I'm not _that_ old McGinnis."

Terry looked around frantically stopping to listen every now and then hoping that he could hear where she was.

Within ten minutes Bruce was back on the com-link. He read off the coordinates to Terry. Terry waited anxiously as the tracker figured the quickest way to Rylana's location. When it showed up Terry realized that he had passed her. Be back tracked and turned down a hallway that he had missed in the dark.

"Have you found her yet?" Bruce asked.

"No," Terry said. "But from the looks of where the tracker is taking me she's in one of the science labs."

He was right. The signal was the strongest outside one of the lab doors. He recognized the classroom; it had been his science class the last year. Terry turned the knob on the door, activated his camouflage once more, and waited to see if anyone would come to the door, but no one did.

Still under the camouflage, Terry slipped into the room and looked around. He turned on his night vision so as to better see if anyone else was in the room. He found Rylana lying on the floor behind the teacher's desk.

"Hey," he said shaking her gently. Nothing. Terry checked her over. No injuries that he could see. He turned on the com-link once more.

"Bruce," he said. "Something's wrong with Ry, and I don't know what it is."

_"Get her back to the Batmobile," _Bruce said.

Terry gingerly picked her up. He looked around the room once more and it was still empty. He decided against the door and went out the window. He threw Rylana over his shoulder and, using a grappling hook that she carried with her when fighting crime, climbed the wall up to the roof. He placed her in the Batmobile and flew off.

_"Alright Terry," _Bruce said talking over the com-link. _"There's a kind of first-aid kit to your left." _Terry saw it and set it in his lap._ "Inside you'll find a needle pen, much like the ones diabetics use to test their blood sugar." _Terry search through the contents and pulled it out.

"Got it," he told Bruce.

_"Now, use t on her index finger."_

"What do you want me to do with the blood sample?"

_"Look at your computer screen." _Terry did. _"There's a section on it that is titled 'illness'; select it." _Terry did so again. _"Now, see the selection that says 'test blood sample'?"_

"Yeah."

_"Select it."_

Terry watched as the screen changed. There was a small square that said "place sample here".

_"See the…"_

"'Place sample here,'" Terry said. "I've got it."

Terry pricked Rylana's finger and pressed her finger to the screen. Immediately words and numbers began to fill the screen.

Bruce watched from the computer trying to decipher the blood analysis. So far everything was alright. Just as he was nearing the end however he noted that the blood stream seemed to have some sort of intruder.

"Terry," Bruce said. "I'm not sure what it is but there's something in her blood stream and from the looks of it it's not good; get here as soon as possible."

_"Got it," _Terry replied.

Bruce continued to watch the screen. _Strange,_ he thought. _From the looks of this analysis, the intruder is a life form of some sort; like some kind of a bug. _Bruce typed away at the computer trying to get a visual of the information he was reading. A picture of what appeared to be a blood vein came up on the screen. As Bruce watched he saw the bug, or whatever it was, appear on screen. He saw that as it passed it at away at the blood cells.

"Terry; get her here now!"

_"What is it Bruce?"_

"She's got some kind of bug in her blood that eating at the cells. If we don't get her here quick and remove it we'll lose her."

Terry pressed down on the accelerator. If it had been any other day he was sure Bruce would have scolded him and given him the typical "don't scratch it" lecture, but this was Rylana's life. Terry looked back at her to see how she was doing. Her skin seemed to be going pale. His heart began to race and his head began to swim with the thoughts of losing another girlfriend.

It took just a few minutes for Terry to finally arrive and when he did Bruce was already waiting for him, ready to take charge and perform whatever procedure was necessary to save Rylana. He parked the Batmobile and jumped out holding Rylana in his arms.

"Put her on the table," Bruce said walking towards a metal table positioned in the center of the cave. Terry laid her down. "She doesn't look good."

Terry removed his mask and shook his head. "No," he said.

Bruce walked to the computer and picked up a portable x-ray machine. He turned it on and began to search for the parasite. Terry took Rylana's mask off and began stroking her hair. She was going cold and her skin was turning paler by the minute. Her breathing began to slow.

"I'm losing her," Terry choked.

"Talk to her," Bruce said urgently. "Do something!"

"Ry," Terry said, taking her hand. Bruce saw the young teen's hands tremble. "Come on Ry, please just hold on. Just hold on…"

Bruce felt his own hands grow shaky. He personally hadn't gotten to know Rylana as well as Terry, but he felt some kind of a fatherly bond with her. He didn't want to lose her anymore than terry did. Not only would he himself be devastated, but that would make the second girlfriend terry lost within the past year, and possibly because of the same person.

"I've got it!" Bruce exclaimed as he found a slug like form wriggling its way through Rylana's system. "Terry, come hold this and whatever you do don't lose it."

Terry left his place by Rylana's head and held the x-ray as Bruce left to get something to open the skin and draw the creature out. He returned with some kind of surgical knife, gauze to control bleeding, and a pair of tweezers.

"Alright," Bruce said. "Where is it heading?"

"Down her left leg," Terry said following the specimen. Bruce cut Rylana's pants just a few inches below the x-ray. He waited for it to get closer and then cut into her skin. He could feel his heart beating in his chest and was sure terry's was beating just as fast.

Watching the wound closely, waiting for the slug to arrive, Bruce saw what appeared to be a white colored larva beginning to make its way past the incision. Bruce quickly inserted the tweezers and caught hold of it. He pulled it out of Rylana's leg and set it in a Petri dish. Terry grabbed the gauze and applied pressure to Rylana's leg. He watched as her breathing quickened. He placed his hand on her face. It was getting warmer. He let out a sigh of relief.

She was safe for now.

The man sat in the chair strumming his fingers on the desk.

"You did just what I said," he asked one of his men.

"Yes sir," was the reply.

"And?"

"Batman showed up."

The man's fingers stopped. "Batman…"he said contemptuously. He stood up abruptly and angrily slid his arm across the desk pushing everything on top of it onto the floor. He then over turned the desk and walked to the window. He glared at the setting sun as if to accuse it of being the cause of his plans going a rye.

"If I may say something sir," the second man said.

"What?"

"I got a name."

The first whipped around. "A name?"

The second nodded.

"And the name is?"

"Rylana."

Bruce had Terry carry Rylana into the house. He told him to choose one of the spare rooms to place her in until she was feeling better. Bruce then called Rylana's mother.

"Yes," Kelly said as she picked up the phone.

"Hello Mrs. Henderson," Bruce said. "This is Bruce Wayne."

"Hello Mr. Wayne!" Kelly exclaimed. "How can I help you? Rylana's not losing her focus with Terry around now is she?"

Bruce smiled. He and Terry explained to Mrs. Henderson that Rylana had been offered a job to work for him alongside Terry. "No," Bruce said. "Her first day has actually gone fairly well. I just wanted to let you know that while she and Terry were out on an errand she fell ill. Terry's in one of the rooms watching after her right now, and I think it would be best not to move her back home just yet. Is that alright?"

"She's sick? Well, I suppose it would be alright. Has a physician seen her yet?"

Terry came into the room. Bruce held up a finger indicating that he needed to wait only a moment. "I had my own physician look her over," he told Mrs. Henderson. Terry gave a half smile.

"Oh alright then; I'd like to see her, but I just got a phone call from someone and I have to leave. Let her know that I'll be by tomorrow afternoon, alright?"

"I will Mrs. Henderson."

"Thank you very much Mr. Wayne."

"You are most welcome. Goodbye."

"Bye."

Bruce hung up the phone and then turned to Terry. "How is she doing right now?" he asked.

"She's sleeping," Terry replied. "She's back to normal body temperature, but her skin is still kind of pale."

"I reckon it will be for a little while; that parasite seemed to be destroying her blood from what the computer showed. Don't worry, she'll be fine now," he added seeing the worrisome look on Terry's face. The grandfather clock chimed ten o'clock. "You should probably be getting home."

"I'd like to stay with Ry," Terry said. "If that's alright with you."

"So long as your mom knows; I'd hate to be the victim of your mother's wrath."

Terry smiled. He pulled out his cell phone and told her what the situation was using the same story Bruce had. Once he was finished talking to her he didn't even hesitate to return to Rylana's side.

Rylana felt warm sunlight spilling across her face. He slowly opened her eyes. She couldn't figure out where she was. The bed she was lying in was comfortable, more so than her one at home. She tried to sit up but it seemed that all of her strength had been used simply to open her eyes. She slowly, and with more effort than normal, turned her head.

Terry had laid his head down on the bed beside her and fallen asleep. Rylana stared at him utterly confused. She tried to remember what happened, but the last thing that came to mind was when she hid from the three freshmen at the school.

"Terry," she said quietly.

Terry's head came up and when he saw that she was awake he smiled at her.

"Hey Ry," he said. He took hold of her left hand. "How're you feeling?"

"Kind of weak," she said. "And a little confused; what happened?"

"You don't remember?" Terry asked his eyebrows knitting together. Rylana shook her head.

"The last thing I remember is hiding from some freshmen at the school. I don't know but I don't think it was too long after we split up."

"I was in the locker room. After half time you paged me. Someone turned it off after I had begun making my way to you, so Bruce pinpointed the coordinates for the last signal from you. I found you in Mr. Thompson's science lab." Terry waited to see if that rang a bell at all. Rylana continued to watch him and so he continued. "You were unconscious but you had no injuries. We tested your blood and discovered that there was some kind of a bug inside of you."

"A bug?" Rylana asked looking somewhat disgusted.

"Yeah, some kind of a larva."

Rylana scrunched up her nose at the thought. "Ew," she said.

It wasn't just any larva," Terry said continuing. It was destroying your blood. The more blood cells it ate the larger it became."

Rylana covered her face with her hands. "Gross!"

Terry laughed. He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. "Bruce got it out. He's in the Cave studying it."

Rylana sat up. "Let's go see what he's found," she said slowly sliding her legs off the bed.

Terry stood up and helped her to her feet. "Do you think you can walk?" he asked her.

"Yeah," she responded but the moment Terry let her go she realized the strength she thought was there really wasn't. He caught her just before she hit the floor. "I guess not.

Terry picked her up off of her feet. She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled at him. "Thanks."

"Any time," Terry replied. He carried her down to the Cave. They found Bruce at a table looking through a microscope. He looked up as they came in.

"Glad to see you're awake," he said to Rylana. "Your mother will be by later to see you this afternoon, probably take you home too. I called her last night and told her that you got sick while working."

"I appreciate it," Rylana told him. "What have you found out with the bug thing?"

"Not much; I did however find something else out." Bruce went to the computer and pulled something up onto the screen. "This is the autopsy report for that vigilante. He was killed with a sword."

Terry's attention was caught. "That's how Hanna was killed," he said.

Bruce nodded. "There was also another hero of sorts that was killed just recently; no injuries save for a puncture wound. They checked him over and found the same kind of larva form that Rylana had."

"It's almost like we're dealing with two different killers," Rylana said.

"You would think so."

Terry and Rylana looked at Bruce curiously.

"How are they connected?" Terry asked. "One was killed by a weapon another by a parasite."

"This second victim, the larva infected one, was attacked about three months prior to his death. The attacker tried to kill him with a sword."

Terry understood. "So they try to kill them with a sword and when it doesn't' work out they use the bug."

"That's what it looks like."

Rylana shivered.

"She wasn't too happy about her 'live in friend' when I told her," Terry explained with a smile.

"I wouldn't be either," Bruce replied. "Especially after knowing that that 'live in friend' was eating away at my blood; it's like a vampire, only it's working from the inside."

"So what are we going to do?"

"Keep our eyes open and exercise more caution; that's all we _can _do."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Attacks

As the day passed, Rylana waited in bed for her mother to arrive. She liked being there at the manor with Terry, but her own bed was a luxury she was longing for. The clock in Rylana's room struck 4:00 pm and she began to wonder.

"Stay in bed until your mother gets here," Bruce had advised earlier that day. "And once you do get home rest at least until tomorrow."

Rylana threw off the covers. She swung her feet over the side and simply sat on the edge of the bed. _Something isn't right,_ she thought to herself. _Mom is never this late for anything unless something comes up, and if something _had _come up she would've called._

She stood up and got dressed. Her head was spinning but she didn't care. She had to know what was up with her mom and besides that she was sick of lying in bed.

"Don't over do it," Terry had added after Bruce's comment. "You'll need some time to recuperate. We don't want anything to happen to you; _I _don't want anything to happen to you."

Rylana smiled to herself. "You're sweet," she said as she finished tying her shoes. "But I've got to find out what's up." She left the room doing her best not to fall down the stairs as she went along. At one point she nearly threw up her head was spinning so much. Luckily, she made it out the door without too many problems and Bruce and Terry had no idea.

Rylana walked to the highway and managed to hitch a ride into Gotham. She had to walk four blocks to get to her house and when she finally arrived her stomach dropped.

The front door was hanging by it's top hinge and there was glass all over the floor. Rylana walked through the house stunned by the damage. Question immediately began forming in her mind. What happened? Who did it? Where was her mom?

She entered the living room and her third question was answered. Her mother lay unconscious on the floor. Her head was bleeding and it appeared to be her only injury. Rylana rushed to her side.

"Mom?" she said shaking her gently. Tears threatened behind her eyes but she held them back. "Mom can you hear me?"

Something on the wall caught Rylana's attention and she turned to look at it. It was a message written in black paint.

_We know who you are._

Rylana fell to her knees as her head began to spin. It felt as though she were weightless as she fell to the floor. Before she hit the soft carpet however everything went black.

"It's lucky you found her when you did; she's seemed to have lost a considerable amount of blood recently and her getting up and moving around before resting up some was not an intelligent move on her part at all."

"How's her mom doing?"

"She's still unconscious but save for the head injury she's fine. We're running tests to make sure there's no swelling."

"How long know before you'll know?"

"A few hours, maybe sooner; it all depends upon how busy it gets between now and then."

Rylana could hear people talking but she didn't know who they were and the things they were saying didn't register in her mind.

"I have some other patients I need to check on; if you need anything page the nurse's desk and they'll get a hold of me."

"Thanks Doctor Williams."

There was the sound of footsteps as someone left the room. Rylana slowly lifted her heavy eyelids. She did not recognize where she was at. There was a beeping noise coming from her right and she turned to find medical machines beside her bed.

"Hey."

Rylana looked to her left as Terry walked over to her. Bruce was standing at the foot of the bed. "Where am I?" she asked. "What happened?"

"You're in the hospital," Terry explained taking hold of her hand. "After you left Bruce and I went to check on you. We saw you were gone and assumed that you had gone home. We went to your house to make sure you had made it ok and we found both you and your mom lying unconscious on the floor. We got you two here as fast as possible."

"How's my mom."

"Unconscious; the doctors are running some tests to check for swelling, but other than that she's just fine."

The room was quiet. The sounds of cars driving home from work as the stars twinkled above them reached Rylana's ears but she paid no attention to them. Her thoughts lingered on the events of the day and as the image of the chilling message came to her mind she shivered.

"Are you alright?" Bruce asked walking over and standing beside Terry.

"I was just thinking," Rylana said.

"About what?"

"The message…the one on the wall…"

Terry and Bruce looked at each other quizzically. "Ry," Terry said turning back to her. "There was no message on the wall."

"What do you mean?" Rylana asked. "I saw it there; the wall closest to my mom. There was a message there written in black."

"Rylana," Bruce said. "The only damage that was done to your house was someone ran over the mail box."

"What!? But the door was hanging by a single hinge there was glass everywhere; the house was in complete shambles!"

"The house was fine," Terry said. "We knocked on your door and when no one answered we thought something was wrong. We opened the door and walked into your living room. You and your mom were unconscious, that was the only thing out of the ordinary."

Rylana looked down in absolute confusion. _I know what I saw_, she thought to herself. _Why didn't Terry and Bruce see it too?_

There was a knock on the door.

"Enter," the man said.

When his henchmen entered the first man waved his hand and the door was shut. He motioned for the second to sit. After a moment of sitting in silence the henchmen spoke.

"I did what you asked Jostens," he said.

Jostens nodded. "And? What happened Gabriel?"

"Nothing so far."

"Did she read the message? Was our theory proven correct?"

"I believe so sir, but I'm not 100 certain."

"Well find out! If so it may be the key we need to get Night Angel into our clutches. We need her if we are to go through with our plans."

Gabriel was silent. "Sir," he began. "Do we _have _to have the Night Angel? There are plenty of other people we could use."

"And just who would you be suggesting?"

"Well, there's Batman, or Superman, or any of the other heroes in the world."

"No; it must be the Night Angel."

Gabriel bowed slightly. "I'll check on our theory right away sir." And then he left.

Rylana stared up at the ceiling. Bruce had left to inquire further about the status of her mother. Terry sat beside her watching her closely. While she couldn't see his face all that well she knew the look he was wearing; concern, a look that asked "Is she crazy?"

"I know you think I'm crazy," Rylana said. She turned to him and Terry gave her a look contradicting that of his previous. "Don't look at me that way. To tell you the truth, if I were you I'd probably think the same thing. But I know what I saw. The message was there."

"What did it say?" Terry asked her.

Rylana could tell that he only asked to make her feel better, but she answered him anyway. "It said 'We know who you are'."

Terry sighed. "We've all been stressed; maybe you just…"

"Terry I didn't imagine it!"

"Rylana…"

At that point Bruce entered the room. The two teens looked up at him. He wore a look of sadness. Rylana's face paled.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Bruce looked at Terry and then down at the floor. "The tests came back for your mother," he said quietly. He raised his head and looked straight at Rylana. "She's in a coma."

Rylana's eyes stung. Her heart dropped into her stomach and for the second time that day she felt like her whole world was crashing down on her. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "How long?" she asked Bruce quietly.

"We don't know."

Her chin quivered but she wouldn't allow herself to cry. "Can I see her?"

Bruce nodded. "I'll have a nurse bring in a wheel chair."

Ten minutes after Rylana had been delivered the news about her mother she sat at her bedside. Terry had wheeled her into the room and then he and Bruce sat outside so that she could be alone.

"Oh mom," Rylana sobbed. She laid her head on the bed and released the tears behind her eyes.

Mary McGinnis sat in the kitchen drinking a cup of coffee. Rylana's mother had been in a coma for three days and upon hearing it Mary had invited Rylana to stay with them again. She consented, although most of her time was spent at the hospital.

Rylana's doctor had advised her to take it easy, and so Bruce told her not to come in to work. "Terry and I managed fighting alone before, we can do it again," he had said.

Mary sighed. "The poor girl," she said. "She's been through so much."

At that moment Terry entered the room. He was wearing blue plaid pajama pants and a black t-shirt. His hair was messy and he had a distant look on his face. Mary looked at the clock. 1:05 am.

"What are you doing up sweetie?" she asked.

Terry yawned. "I was sleeping," he said. "But then I woke up and just couldn't fall back asleep again." Sat down across from his mother and stared at the counter top.

"What's bothering you?" Mary asked.

"I just…I don't know…"

"Come on Terry, I can tell you're troubled."

"I'm worried about Rylana mom."

Mary nodded.

"When Bruce and I got to her house it was perfectly fine; no damage whatsoever."

"Perhaps she's stressed about something or other."

"That's what I said, but she snapped at me."

"People will do that, especially when they truly believe that what they saw was real."

"I know."

The two of them were quiet. Mary stood up and set her cup in the sink. She kissed Terry on the top of the head. "Try and get some sleep," she told him.

Terry did as he was told, but just as he was about to close his eyes a beeping noise came from his bag. He climbed out of the bed and rummaged through it trying to find the device. He discovered it was his pager. He checked to see who it was that was calling him. It was Bruce summoning him to the mansion. Terry tried to talk to him on the pager's com-link but there was no reply. He put on the suit and snuck out of his window.

The manor was dark and Terry began to wonder if Bruce had accidentally pressed the call button, but as he got closer to it he realized that Ace wasn't barking. He looked around. The dog was nowhere in sight.

"Maybe he's inside with Bruce," he said, although something told him that wasn't true. Terry walked to the front door and waited a moment before opening it. The house was completely quiet which proved Terry's theory wrong.

He walked through keeping his eyes and ears open. The clock in the parlor struck two and for a moment Terry's mind began to drift. Then he heard something upstairs moving. He waited to hear more but when the silence once again enveloped the house Terry carefully and quietly walked up the large staircase to the second floor. He checked each room but found they were all empty. The clock downstairs struck three.

"Bruce's house is too big," Terry mumbled to himself.

The last room he had to check was the master bedroom. He went to open the door but it was already slightly ajar. Terry pushed the door open and entered.

Ace was squirming on the floor with his front legs tied together and his back legs following suit. He had a muzzle and Terry could hear him quietly whimpering. He hurried over to him and untied him.

"Ace buddy, are you alright?" Terry asked. "Where's Bruce?"

Once the dog was free from its bindings he ran to the glass door that led to the balcony. He began whimpering and pawing at it. Terry stood up and walked over to it. He saw Bruce's walking stick lying on the balcony. He opened the door and stepped out onto it. He looked around for any sign of Bruce but there was none.

The stick sat next to the railing and Terry walked over and picked it up. As he did something caught his eye. He leaned over the railing and looked down and the tall bushes below. His stomach began to get twisted into knots and he thought he'd throw up. There was Bruce lying on top of the bushes.

Terry expanded his wings and swooped down to the ground.

"Bruce," he said shaking the man gently. Nothing. For a moment Terry thought he was dead, but then he saw his chest rising and falling. He gingerly picked Bruce up. He wasn't as light as Terry had expected and so it took him a moment or two to adjust. Once he was ready he jumped up and flew in the direction of the hospital.

Terry sat in the chair beside Bruce's bed. His elbows were on his knees and his fingers were interlocked as though he were praying. He stared at Bruce with evident worry and concern written upon his face. This man was a second father to him. The two of them had been through a lot. And now he was lying unconscious in a hospital bed.

There was a knock on the door and Terry looked up. Mary McGinnis was standing in the doorway. He stood up as she crossed the room to him. The two embraced each other.

"Oh Terry I'm so sorry," she said as silent tears rolled down her face. She pulled away and looked down at Bruce. "Have you been here all night?"

Terry nodded. "I couldn't sleep and after Batman dropped Bruce off he stopped by and told me," he said. "I didn't want to wake you so I called when I got here and left the message on the machine."

Matt stared at Bruce. "It's weird seeing him in a hospital bed," he said. "He's so tough."

"He's human Matt," Mary said putting an arm around him. "I think even Batman has had his days of mortality."

The irony was too much. To think that both the original Batman and the new Batman sat in the same room as she made the comment triggered the floodgates inside of Terry. He stepped out of the room. Leaning against the wall he let the tears fall down his face.

A hand touched his shoulder and he turned to find Rylana standing there. Her eyes were filled with the same magnitude of grief that Terry was currently feeling. He put his arms around her and the two just stood there and wept.

"It's my fault," Terry said quietly. "I should've been there…"

Rylana pulled back shaking her head. "You didn't know. You got there as quickly as possible. He's alive; that's what counts."

"When I saw him lying on those bushes…" Terry continued to sob.

"Shh," Rylana said taking him in her arms and stroking his hair. "It'll be alright; he'll be alright."

"There's someone else we know here in the hospital."

Terry looked up at Rylana. Her face was set and there was a hint of nervousness in her eyes. Terry turned in his chair and looked at her. "Who?" he asked.

"Barbara Gordon."

Terry's face fell. "You're kidding," he said in disbelief.

Rylana shook her head. "She came in about two or three hours before Bruce did. Someone came in and tried to kill her. Luckily her husband walked in and the intruder left." She paused. "The man had a sword."

Terry's body stiffened.

"So our famous unknown villain is still going then," he said quietly.

"Yeah, and I think I know where he went after attacking Barbara Gordon."

"Where?"

Rylana looked at the bed. Bruce was still unconscious.

Terry shook his head. "Who the heck is this guy Ry?" he asked. "He's trying to get rid of the superheroes in the world; why?"

"_My_ question is how did he know about Barbara and Bruce? Nobody knew their identities except Alfred who has long since been dead, and Dick Grayson."

Terry looked at her in slight confusion. "Dick Grayson?" he asked.

"Robin the Boy Wonder."

"Oh," Terry said. "I don't think Bruce talked about him. Maybe he did, I just wasn't paying attention."

Rylana smiled. "I wouldn't be surprised if it was the latter."

Terry gave her a look and she chuckled. The two were quiet once more. "I think it's time we started investigating and getting information," Terry said.

"About what?" Rylana asked.

"About what's really going on; somebody found out about Bruce and Barbara. We need to know how and why."

"Whoever it is knows about me too."

Terry didn't respond and Rylana knew why. Anger boiled up inside of her.

"I know what I saw Terry," she said.

Terry looked down, uncertain of how to respond.

"Ry," he said. "I'm telling you; you and your mom were the only peculiarities in the room."

"And I'm telling you again Terry; I _know_ what I saw!"

"I know what I saw too Rylana! I know seeing your mom on the floor hurt and unconscious was a real shock for you; maybe what you saw on the wall was just a result of that."

"What about the house Terry!? How do you explain that!?"

"Well you were delusional when you got there!"

"_DELUSIONAL!?_"

At that moment a nurse walked into the room.

"Excuse me," she said testily. "Is there a problem here?"

"No," Terry and Rylana answered sheepishly. The nurse gave them a critical look and then left. Not a full minute after she had done so Rylana followed suit, leaving Terry alone in the room with Bruce.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Alex, Dick, and Jake

The room was cold and dark. The only light was a small sliver shining from beneath the door, but even that was not much. Jake Reynolds had tried to guess the number of days he'd been in this dark prison but he soon grew weary of it. When they had first taken him from Arkem he thought for sure that they'd kill him. For some reason or other however, they chose to keep him alive.

He stood up and paced around the room. He never really knew how large the room was. When they gave him what little food they did they only opened the door wide enough to slip the meal through and then it closed. Jake hadn't been eating their food though. He knew what it would and could do. He also knew that if he continued to refuse eating he'd die of starvation.

The door began to open and Jake waited for it to stop and for the plate of food to be slid into the room. But the door continued to open. As it continued Jake could see that the room was about the size of a high school bathroom.

There was a large man standing in the doorway. Jake's stomach dropped slightly but he wasn't about to the let the big man know it. He stood there staring, waiting for him to say something.

"You're coming with me," he said. Once again Jake felt like throwing up but he maintained his composure and followed the man (besides there wasn't anything for him to throw up). They left the room and began to walk down the long hallway.

The hairs on Jake's neck and arms stood on end as the men standing guard along the hall watched him. He knew that something bad was about to happen.

They reached a large oak door and the bigger man opened it. He stepped aside and allowed Jake to enter. Once he was in the room the door was closed and locked. Jake was alone.

The room had dark a beautiful hardwood floor. The walls were made of a lighter wood and were decorated with a painting or two. There was a set of bookshelves and an old antique desk with a large red chair behind it.

A door to Jake's left opened and he turned to see a man dressed like some big CEO enter. He had brunette hair and pale blue eyes. Jake watched him as he sat down at the desk. He waved his hand and a chair moved from its place against the wall to where Jake was standing.

"Sit," the man said.

Jake did so.

"I am Jostens," he said. "You do not know me, although I know who you are."

"And just how do you know who I am?" Jake asked.

Jostens picked up a folder and slid it across the desk to Jake. Jake picked it up and saw his name on the tab. He opened it. It was a complete history of Jake's life. His mother's accident, his school records, every hospital visit, every legal problem, all of it was there.

"We've been watching you closely Jake Reynolds."

Jake looked up at Jostens.

"So?" Jake said tossing the folder back onto the desk. "What's your point?"

Jostens picked up another folder only this time he waited to give it to Jake. "Believe it or not you and I have done a bit of business," he said. "Not directly of course, but the transaction is still there."

Jake's eyebrows knit together. "What do you mean?"

Once again a folder traded hands and Jake looked it over. It contained all of the information concerning the procedures that had been done on him months ago. The procedures that made him Rush Fury and that wore off after he had been caught; the reason for so many of his nightmares and the cause of his constant headaches and pains.

"So you're the man in charge," Jake said. "You're the reason my life is so messed up right now."

"No," Jostens said. "_You're _the reason your life is messed up. You came to us remember? And why shouldn't you have? Your mother died when you were young and ever since then your father treated you like the plague as though it was you that had killed her. But then again, it _was_ you, wasn't it?"

Jake's head snapped up.

"You were just in the back seat enjoying yourself. Suddenly you produced a powerful force that hit into your mother and caused her to lose control of the vehicle."

"How do you know about that?"

"Because we were there; we were the ones that pulled you and your mother from the wreckage. Nobody else was around when it happened and so we told the police that there was a cat in the road and that your mother swerved to miss it, lost control, and crashed."

"You were one of the five witnesses to the accident."

"Yes and the man who escorted you here was also one of them."

"Why!? Why have you been so keen on watching me!?"

"Because you're no ordinary boy Jake; there are only two other people who are like you in the entire world."

Jake's head was reeling. What was going on?

"I have a proposition for you," Jostens said taking hold of yet another folder. He handed it to Jake. "All of the information is there. Reed will escort you back to your room. You'll be given a light so as to read over what the folder contains. We shall meet again the day after tomorrow and you can give me your answer."

The door opened and Reed entered. Jake stood up and left the room.

Reed opened yet another door. He stood there staring at the young man on the floor.

"Get up," he said. "Someone wants to talk to you."

The young man stood up and followed Reed down the hallway.

"So Reed," he said. "What does Jostens want this time? Is he going to try and get me to agree to his little proposition? I work alone."

"I know that, and so does Jostens, but he wishes to see you nonetheless."

The remainder of the walk to Jostens off was silent. Once Reed left Jostens and the young man to talk Jostens pointed to the chair Jake had just been sitting in.

"Sit," he said. His tone was less inviting than it had been with Jake.

"I'll stand," the young man said.

"Alex, Alex, Alex…"

"Don't try and sweet talk me Jostens; I told you I don't want to work for you. I'm in business for myself and myself only."

"And I admire your independence except that I know something about you."

"Oh? And what's that?"

"I know what happened to land you into Nathaniel Reynolds."

Alex stiffened. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, I think you do. You were…how old? Twelve I believe? The kids in your school would bully you and so you decided to fight back. The only problem is that you somehow caused more damage than intended. You went to push the boy to the ground and instead he flew into a wall. It was lucky for you he didn't die or else you'd have ended up in jail."

"And what's all of this supposed to do? Convince me to help you out?"

"Is it working?"

Alex said nothing.

"Listen," Jostens said obviously getting annoyed. "I can help you get answers, find out how it is that you came to be what you are."

"What's in it for you?"

Jostens tossed the proposition folder across the desk and into the chair opposite him. Alex looked down at it. Jostens really wanted his help for some reason or other. There was something Alex had that Jostens needed. He thought about it and decided that if their agreement ever went sour, he could use this knowledge to his advantage.

"Fine," he said picking up the folder.

Jostens smiled. "I knew you'd see reason," he said.

Dick Grayson lay in a hospital bed. It had been two days since he'd been found and admitted although it felt longer. As he stared up at the ceiling he regretted not staying in contact with his friends in Gotham.

One of the nurses walked into the room and checked his vitals.

"How are you feeling today Mr. Grayson?" she asked.

"Same as yesterday," he replied bitterly.

The nurse looked at him sadly. "Are you sure there's nobody you can call; no family to contact?"

Dick shook his head. "There's no one," he said.

The nurse left the room. Dick listened to the cars driving up and down the Chicago streets and for the first time in years he wished he was back in Gotham. He had partially lied to the nurse. There was someone he could contact, but under the circumstances they no longer considered each other family. At least, Dick felt they didn't.

"They couldn't care less," he said. He reached over and picked up his wallet from off the bedside table. He flipped through his pictures and looked at one in particular. It was of him, Bruce, and Barbara at the Gotham Pier. It had been just weeks before the fight.

"Even if I did go back, he's too stubborn to forgive me."

Dick closed the wallet and set it back on the table.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Inquiries Dig Up Past Pains

A week after Bruce and Barbara's attack they had both gained consciousness and were able to go home. While Barbara was content with staying home and taking it easy Bruce was up and walking around not even a full twenty four hours after arriving home.

"You know the doctor said…"

"Take it easy," Bruce said cutting off Terry's remark. "I know that. Where's Rylana?"

Terry looked down.

"Oh no, what'd you two fight about this time?"

"What happened at her house."

"I see." Bruce waited a moment. "She's still set on what she told us?"

Terry nodded. "She hasn't let up at all."

"I wonder…"

"What?"

"What if she's right?"

"About the house?"

"The house and the message on the wall."

"Bruce, you saw the same thing I did; there was no message and the house was perfectly fine."

"Terry, we both think Rylana's crazy."

Terry was taken aback by the comment. "Yes," he said.

"Well, what if _we're _the ones who were seeing things?"

"Bruce, even the cops didn't see anything!"

"Because they, like us, weren't _supposed_ to see anything."

Terry gave Bruce a blank stare.

"What if what Rylana saw was in fact real and what we saw was the illusion?"

"Bruce the door was hanging by a hinge and there was glass all over according to Ry. How could we have walked into the house without stepping on any glass or even get through the front door?"

"I don't know Terry. Something isn't right about all of this; that's all I can say."

Just then Rylana walked into the Cave.

"I've found some things that may interest you," she said.

"What things? How?"

"By investigating, that's how."

"_Investigating?_ I told you to be cautious!"

"I was cautious…mostly."

"I _meant_ you need to just sit back and let the answers come to us instead of going out and finding them!"

"Why not? What's the point in being a superhero if you don't get your hands a little dirty so to speak?"

"It's not safe! You shouldn't have been doing it alone!"

Rylana could see Terry waving his arms back and forth as he stood behind Bruce warning her to not tell him anything. But she continued anyways.

"I haven't been doing it alone."

Terry closed his eyes and wrinkled up his nose.

"What do you mean?" Bruce asked.

"Terry didn't tell you?"

Bruce turned and looked at Terry who now wore an expression of "thanks a heap" on his face. "Tell me what?" Bruce said turning back to Rylana.

"While you've been in the hospital we decided it was time we got our butts in gear and went looking for who is responsible for all of this."

Bruce let out a frustrated sigh.

"It's been working actually," Rylana said. "I just found out something that could connect Jake and Alex's disappearances to our killer."

"Go on."

"Well, this guy," Rylana opened up a folder and showed a picture of a man with black hair and dark sunglasses "was one of the five witnesses to the accident that killed Jake's mom. He was also the man that suggested Alex Hendrix, the creep that stalked Hanna, to be admitted to the Nathaniel Reynolds School for Boys. He was the only witness there at the time Alex nearly killed some kid."

"So how does that connect them?" Terry asked.

"That's the man that tried to attack me," Bruce said glaring at the picture.

Rylana nodded. "He's also the one that went after Barbara Gordon." She looked at the picture. "And I don't know why, but I remember him. I think he was the guy from the school."

Terry took the picture from Rylana and looked at it closely. Images from that night in the alley immediately came back to him. He nodded. "That's the guy that killed Hanna," he said.

"There's our connection," Rylana said.

"But why is there even a connection?"

"I don't know." Rylana stopped suddenly remembering something. "That's all I've found so far today concerning this particular case. But there is something else I think you should know." She looked at Bruce. "When was the last time you talked to Dick Grayson?"

Bruce stiffened. "Years ago," he said. "Why?"

"Did you know that he's been in Chicago the past week?"

"No; he doesn't talk to Barbara and me anymore. Why does it matter that he's in Chicago?"

"It's not that he's in Chicago per say, it's _where_ in Chicago."

"And just _where_ is he?"

"The community hospital."

The silence was so definite you could hear a pin drop and it would echo.

"He's been missing for the past two months," Rylana continued. "They finally found him; he was beat up pretty bad."

Bruce said nothing.

"He's not doing too well."

Bruce looked up at her. "Is it serious?"

"I don't mean physically Bruce. I mean mentally, emotionally; the nurse asked him if there was any family he could call and he told her no. He said there was _nobody at all_."

Again Bruce said nothing.

"Why aren't the two of you talking Bruce? And why didn't he say that you were a person they could contact?"

"Probably because I'm a stubborn fool that doesn't forgive so easily."

He stood up and walked over to his collection of superhero outfits. He stared at the one belonging to Dick. The metal R seemed to illuminate before him. "We got in a disagreement," he began. "The three of us, Barbara, Dick, and I, had been out one night doing our rounds. Afterwards we talked about life in the superhero business. Barbara was thinking of staying on, at least for a little while. Dick wasn't sure what he was going to do. I was so wrapped up in being Batman and saving people that when Dick told me he was quitting I tried to convince him otherwise. Things got pretty heated, things were said that shouldn't have been said, and Dick walked out. We never saw him after that. It broke Barbara's heart for a little while. Yes, she and Dick did have a little fling, but they quit after a few years of working together and became as close as brother and sister."

The two teens were silent. Terry finally spoke. "Are you going to go and see him then?" he asked.

Bruce shook his head.

"Why not?" Rylana asked.

"You heard what he told the nurse," Bruce said. "He doesn't have any family. He doesn't _want_ any family."

Rylana was growing frustrated with Bruce. "How do you know he doesn't want it?" she said rather testily. Bruce gave her his famous death glare but she didn't even wince. She couldn't care less if the comment upset him. "You haven't seen him in years. How do you know he isn't hurting more than ever right now?"

"I don't want to talk about this," Bruce said. "We have work to do."

"Gotham can manage without us for one night!"

Terry stared at Rylana with a look of total shock. Bruce turned on her.

"Drop it Rylana!"

"No! You spent most of your life helping people. Most of them you didn't even know their name. Now that you can't do it you're helping us to do it. So many people have been helped because of you, so many _strangers_, and yet you won't help a friend!"

"Rylana…"Bruce said warningly.

"You fought the Joker, Two Face, Riddler, and other people who put fear into the hearts of everyone else in Gotham. People say you're the most courageous person in the city but you don't even have the courage to see Dick!"

Bruce slammed his cane down on the floor. "That's enough Rylana! I said drop it!"

"Every time you drop it the situation gets worse! The longer you hold off seeing him the harder it'll be! Just get over yourself and admit that you're wrong! You're right; you _are _a stubborn old fool!"

"Well if that's how you feel then you can leave!"

Rylana stared at him a moment not quite sure if he was serious.

"Go!" Bruce yelled.

She turned and left too upset to argue. Terry stood up but before he could call after Rylana Bruce spoke.

"Go home Terry; I'm giving you the night off." He then turned and went into the house.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Jostens Proposal

"Well, well, well Jake, long time no see."

Jake turned around and nearly fell over.

"Alex?" he said in absolute surprise.

The young man nodded. "In the flesh," he said. He walked over to Jake. "How long have _you_ known Jostens?"

"I only just met him," Jake said truthfully. "But I've done some…_business_ with his company apparently."

"Oh," Alex said leaning against the wall and folding his arms across his chest. "You got one of his procedures eh?"

"Yeah," Jake replied looking away and then added more quietly, "I got one of his procedures."

Alex waited a moment and then he spoke up. "You regret it don't you?" he asked.

Jake nodded. "I thought it was what I wanted. I didn't expect…_this_."

Alex stepped forward looking rather concerned. "What do you mean _this_?"

"The guilt, the fear, the pain..."

Alex nodded looking down as well. "To tell you the truth neither was I."

Jake looked at him rather surprised. Alex gave him a half smile. "Yeah," he said. "I'm a criminal with a conscience. I didn't used to have it. But now that I've been here for, oh… seven months, maybe longer, I've had nothing to do but think."

"Think about what?"

"My life, what's been going on in it." Alex shook his head. "Before I got sent to that stupid school everything was fine. My life was happy and I had no worries. Then I got into that fight and somehow…"

"You don't have to recap on that part of your life; I already know, remember?"

Alex smiled. "I remember," he said. He looked at the floor. "I don't know why, I just got so out of hand when I got there."

"At least yours didn't come up until after you got there. Mine started not long after my mom died."

Alex nodded. "I wish I could go back and just erase all of the crap I've done. What happened with Hanna, do you know?"

Jake turned and looked away. Alex's face drained of color.

"She was killed," Jake said quietly. "She moved to Gotham and got killed."

Alex was speechless. "Killed?" he said. "How?"

"Someone went after her because they thought she was the Night Angel."

Alex was blown away. Had he really missed so much? "Who was it? Did they ever find out?"

Jake didn't answer and Alex began to grow suspicious. He walked over and stood in front of him.

"You know don't you?"

"Reed," he said quietly.

Jake could see the fury in Alex's eyes. "Reed!? Reed killed Hanna and you still worked with him!?"

Jake walked to the wall. He slid to the floor and leaned his head back against it. Alex could see tears forming in his eyes. "I was so messed up Alex," he said quietly. "I guess that's really no excuse. Every time I think about it I feel like I was the one that did it. I should have stopped it. I don't know why I didn't."

"Because you were too wrapped up in the life of a criminal; we both were."

Jake looked at his friend. Even though the two of them had parted ways once Alex had left they still had that connection and Jake was grateful for it. "So have you read Jostens proposal yet?"

Alex shook his head. "Nah," she said. "You?"

"No."

"Well, we've nothing to do, so why not? Maybe after this is all over we can finally be rid of the guy."

"Yeah." Jake picked up his folder. "How did you get acquainted with him, Jostens I mean?"

"He's been trying to get me to work for him for the past year," Alex explained. "I kept telling him no."

"What changed your mind?"

"Jostens has been coming after me for a long time. When I told him I still wasn't interested I could tell he was loosing his patience with me."

"What's that got to do with anything?"

Alex looked at Jake seriously. "Jostens could have any person in the world do his dirty work. We're not the only criminals."

"So?"

"So, if Jostens was losing patience with me, why not get somebody else? I know plenty of people who'd be willing to work for him, and yet he wouldn't let up on me. I also know that Jostens is a man that people normally don't say no to. Yet, with the number of times that I _have_ told him no, he still hasn't done anything, aside from take me prisoner that is. I've refused him countless times and I've heard of people who got killed because they refused him once."

"You have something Jostens wants, that's why he won't kill you."

Alex nodded. "Now," he said. "Whatever his proposal is he needed two people to do it right? Why did he pick _you_ as the other person?"

"Because there's something _I _have that he wants."

"_Exactly!_ If we do this right we can walk away from this without too many problems."

"Jostens has more people than we can count on our hands together. How do you know he won't pull something when we try to get out of his hair?"

"Because Jake, we have the power. Whatever we've got, Jostens wants it, and if I know Jostens he will do anything to get what he wants."

Jake thought about it. He opened the folder. "Well then, let's get cracking on his proposal."

The two read the first page and then moved to the second. They were being given a target to go after and bring back to Jostens. Jake found the page indicating who the target was. His heart began to race as he looked at the picture. He turned his head and saw that Alex too was wearing the same look that he was.

"He wants us to go after…"

Alex nodded.

"We can't Alex! _I _can't!" Jake exclaimed.

His friend sighed. "We don't' have a choice Jake," he said quietly.

Jake hung his head.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Rylana's Visitors

Terry sat on his bed staring up at the ceiling. Rylana was at the hospital with her mom, Matt was spending the night at a friend's house, and Mary had to work late again. The house was quiet and it was driving Terry crazy. After what seemed like an hour Terry finally got up. He made up his mind to go and see Bruce, whether or not the old man wanted him to.

It had been a week since Rylana's confrontation with Bruce. Terry had received a phone call to not come into work for a while. Even though Bruce wasn't there to help him Terry kept up with fighting crime. It was of course getting harder for him to find excuses to feed his mother about where he was going, but he wasn't going to let Bruce's life and the problems within it stop him from living his own life.

Terry drove his car out to Wayne Manor. He rang the buzzer at the gate but nobody answered. He backed the car up and drove down to the Cave. Bruce probably saw who it was on the security screen and made the choice not to let him in. Terry had half expected the Cave to be closed but it wasn't. He parked his car at the entrance and then walked in.

Bruce wasn't sitting at the computer. Terry checked the entire Cave to be sure he wasn't in there and then he climbed the stairs into the house. It was as quiet as his own home and Terry began to wonder if Bruce was even there.

He entered the parlor and found Bruce sitting there. He walked over and stood next to him.

"I told you not to come in to work for a while," Bruce said still staring out in front of him.

"I'm not here to work," Terry said.

"Hmm," Bruce said. "You've been keeping up with the crime fighting; that's good."

Terry shrugged. "It would be better if I knew my friends were there ready to back me up."

Bruce said nothing. Terry sighed.

"Look Bruce," he said. "I know Rylana really rattled your cage, but that's no reason to stop everything you're doing in life."

"It's not that she rattled my cage Terry."

"Then what? Bruce I don't understand you. People get on your case for being stubborn and problems arise from it. Then you're too stubborn to ask for help with those problems. All you're doing is making it worse for yourself." Bruce sat motionless in his chair. "I will admit though that Rylana is right. You _are_ too stubborn for your own good and you're too prideful to admit it."

"Did you come here to lecture me Terry?" Bruce asked his voice going cold.

"I came here to see if you were alright. I guess that's a no."

Terry turned and left. He didn't really care about whether or not Bruce worked things out with Dick. Rylana was right about the two of them needing to work it out, but when that happened was up to Bruce. What Terry wanted was that father like figure that understood him as a troubled teen. He wanted the man who he had come to admire and look up to. But it appeared that he was slowly fading from view and it panged him terribly to see it.

Rylana felt bad about lying to Mrs. McGinnis. She had told her that she'd be spending a few days at the hospital with her mom. Instead she had purchased a bus ticket to Chicago. It would only take less than a day to get there and she'd be home by tomorrow night, but she still worried.

She stared up at the hospital. Bruce would definitely kill her if he ever found out she was here. But then again, since she was no longer on the team the likelihood of him ever finding out was slim to none. On the other hand however, Bruce had connections, and even if he didn't, there was still the chance the Rylana's real location while she was gone would be discovered. Then she'd have to withstand the wrath of Mrs. McGinnis and Bruce would definitely find out about that.

"Come on Rylana," she told herself. "Just get it over with." She mustered up her courage and walked in.

She talked with the lady at the desk and explained that she had heard about Dick's admittance and wanted to know how he was doing.

"And just how do you know him?" the receptionist asked.

"I'm a friend of a friend you might say," Rylana said. "This friend would've come but they had some things to deal with and so they sent me."

The receptionist was obviously a gullible woman for she gave Dick's room information to her without even asking who she or her friend was or why that friend couldn't come along. Rylana was grateful for it and said a silent prayer of thanks as the elevator made its way to the third floor.

It didn't take Rylana too long to find his room. She stood outside the door seriously considering retreat, but once more she gathered up her courage and knocked on the open door. The man in the bed turned and looked at her.

"Mr. Grayson?" she asked.

"Yes," Dick responded. "Who are you?"

Rylana entered the room and stood beside him. "I'm Rylana Henderson, I'm from Gotham."

She saw Dick tense up some but then relax.

"I see," he said. He motioned to a chair. "Have a seat Miss. Henderson."

"Thanks," Rylana said sitting in the chair. "And it's Rylana."

"Dick," he replied. "So what brings a young girl like you to Chicago to see an old man like me Rylana?"

Rylana wrung her hands a little trying to find her voice. "Well," she said. "I know one of the nurse's here and she told me about you."

"And you thought you'd come and pay me a visit?" Dick gave her a close look. "I'm not convinced."

Rylana gave a nervous smile. "Well, a girl's got to try right?"

Dick laughed a little. "You remind me of a girl I once knew."

"Barbara Gordon?"

Dick gave her a look. "Yes…" The room was silent. "Why are you _really_ here?"

Rylana sighed. "I know Barbara Gordon, and Bruce Wayne."

"Did they send you?"

Rylana shook her head. "Barbara doesn't know you're here and Bruce, well…"

Dick nodded. "Still as stubborn as ever."

"Yeah," Rylana said. "The part about me knowing one of the nurses here is true. After I talked to her I confronted Bruce and told him."

"How did that go?"

The look on Rylana's face only confirmed Dick's thoughts.

"He wasn't too happy," Dick said.

"No, he wasn't." Rylana wasn't going to tell Dick what the outcome of her and Bruce's dispute was, but then she remembered that he was Robin the Boy Wonder at one time. "We kicked me off the team."

Dick looked at her quizzically. She gave a small smile.

"Over a year ago Bruce met a young man by the name of Terry McGinnis. Bruce had long since put up the Batsuit and Gotham was worse than ever. Terry did his own personal crime fighting but it wasn't that great. The Jokers, a gang that organized themselves after the likeness of the famed villain, chased Terry one night to Wayne Manor. That's when he and Bruce first met. Terry came home that night to find that his father had been killed. It had been made to look like the Jokers were responsible, but it was in fact the man that essentially took over Wayne Enterprises. Terry found out about Bruce being the old Batman and eventually took his suit to fight off his father's killer. Since then Bruce and Terry have teamed up and Batman is back in Gotham, only Bruce Wayne isn't the one behind the mask."

"I wondered how that was pulled off; I didn't think Bruce could do some of that stuff, especially not at his age."

Rylana chuckled. "I know what you mean. Anyways, I moved to Gotham from Chicago."

"Oh, so you're a native of the city eh?"

"Yep," Rylana said smiling. "While I was here in Chicago the Night Angel came to town."

"I remember that; she was quite popular here in Chicago. I understand she's in Gotham now."

Rylana nodded. "She got there the same time I did."

Dick smiled. "I see; I should've known it was a teenage girl. That tends to be the new age group where heroes are born."

"Yeah. Terry found out who I was and the two of us have been working together ever since."

"So, Bruce kicked you off of the Bat team?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I had that happen to me once, after Bruce and I defeated Two Face."

The room was blanketed in silence once more.

"Why don't you call him?" Rylana asked.

Dick shook his head. "He wouldn't talk to me," he said.

"You _think_ he wouldn't talk to you. Besides, that shouldn't stop you. Bruce is pigheaded and stubborn, but if you dig past the ego he's not."

Dick sighed. "It's just not that easy."

Rylana stood up. "Well, I have to be getting back; my guardian doesn't know that I'm here."

"It was nice meeting you Rylana."

"It was nice meeting you too Dick." She pulled out a pen and piece of paper. She scribbled on it and handed it to Dick. "My number and address; I'd like to keep in touch. Bye."

"Bye," Dick said as she left the room. He stared at the paper a moment and then set it on the table beside his wallet.

Rylana arrived back in Gotham by four the following day. She considered going to the hospital but decided that she'd spent enough time in hospitals the past week. When she walked through the door at the McGinnis residence however she was greeted with an unexpected surprise.

Standing in the living room were Mrs. McGinnis, Terry, and, to Rylana's horror, Bruce Wayne. She smiled at them pretending that she did not know why they wore the looks that they did.

"Hey," she said.

"How's your mom?" Mary asked. Rylana noted the edge in her voice.

"She's good," she replied doing her best to hide her fear.

"Ry," Terry said. "We know you weren't at the hospital."

Rylana didn't reply.

"We called trying to get a hold of you this morning. You weren't in your mother's room and the hospital page you for nearly two hours; all the while we were calling the room."

She looked down. _Busted_, she thought to herself.

"So where were you?" Mary asked. Her vexation was evident and Rylana knew it was pointless to lie.

"I was in Chicago," she said quietly.

Terry's eyes went wide and Bruce stared at her blankly.

"Chicago!? Why?"

"I went to see an old friend," she said not meeting Mary's gaze.

"It would have been nice and considerate of you to tell me the truth young lady," Mary said.

"I'm sorry, I just didn't know that you'd let me go."

"Since this is the first time you've done it I'll be lenient; you're not grounded, but you will be required to do the chores everyday for the next week, understood?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Good. I have to get to work. Your punishment will begin tomorrow Rylana."

Mary left the three individuals standing in the living room. Terry looked between Rylana and Bruce worried about what would happen.

Bruce was the first to speak.

"Who was this 'old friend' you went to see?"

Rylana held her head up high in a defiant manner. "Someone at the hospital."

"The nurse or Dick?" Bruce asked coldly.

"Why does it matter if I saw Dick or not; it's not like you're going to see him anyway!"

"It's not your place to get involved Rylana!"

"Who said anything about getting involved? Maybe I just wanted to talk to him, find out what it was like for him to fight crime at a young age."

"I told you to drop it and stay out of it Rylana! I meant it!"

"Ry," Terry began. "Just let it go."

Rylana looked at him. She wanted to yell at the two of them but instead her throat caught and tears stung at her eyes. She walked past the two of them and went to her room locking the door behind her.

Terry immediately felt guilty. By saying something he was sure Rylana felt like he was choosing sides. He sighed and walked to her room. He knocked.

"Rylana?" he said. No answer. He leaned against the door. "Ry, please, open the door." Still no answer. Terry turned and went back into the living room. Bruce already had the front door open and was ready to leave.

"You can come back to work Terry," he said.

"And Rylana?"

Bruce didn't respond. Terry shook his head.

"Forget it Bruce."

The sky was darker than usual and the air was heavy with the smell of rain. Sounds of the city were barely heard in the cemetery and Rylana was thankful for it. She could think. Be alone. It was ten minutes after Terry attempted to talk to Rylana that she snuck out of the window and headed for the hospital. She stayed there until well after visiting hours and then made her way to the cemetery. She considered visiting Hanna's grave, but instead she went to that quiet little chapel with the weeds growing over it.

Sitting on the front row she stared up at the sculpture.

"I don't know what to do," she said as though speaking to the artwork. "So much has been happening in my life. I feel so lost."

There was the sound of footsteps behind her and she jumped up taking a fighting stance. From out of the shadows came two people she hadn't expected.

"Jake? Alex?" she said disbelief written all over her face.

The two boys smiled in a way that Rylana hadn't seen before.

"Rylana," Jake said. "There isn't much time."

"What are you talking about Jake?"

"We've been sent to collect you," Alex told her.

She looked at him and was surprised that she had recognized him. He was different somehow. "Why?" she asked.

"We don't know for sure."

She took a step back. "What's going on you guys?"

"We made mistakes Ry," Jake said. "And it's because of those mistakes that we're involved with a man named Jostens."

"Jostens?"

"Yes; he's the one that hired the man that killed Hanna."

Rylana's mouth dropped open slightly.

"There's something that we've got that he wants," Alex continued.

"What do you mean? What is it?"

"I don't know, but this guy, Jostens, he wanted me and Jake to work for him and only us. If this were just some regular job we'd both be dead and it would be somebody else here. I think that there's something you have that he wants too."

"Do you have any clue what it is?"

Alex shook his head. "I don't know who to ask to find out either. The only thing we can do right now is take you with us and pray that we can get out of all of this alive."

Rylana sat down. Everything was happening so fast she couldn't think clearly. Some guy named Jostens who is responsible for Hanna's death, the one she and Terry were trying to go after, wanted her, Alex, and Jake for some reason or other, and none of them knew why. She felt like a lamb that had been sent to the butcher without any knowledge of why her family was no longer with her, or what lay in store for her.

She stood up. "I need to drop something off at my house. Well, where I'm staying. Then we can leave."

The boys nodded and they left the Chapel.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22: "What's so special about us?"

Bruce's phone rang. At first he wondered who would be calling him at this hour but when it continued to ring he picked it up.

"Hello?"

Nothing.

"Hello?" Bruce said somewhat annoyed.

Still nothing.

"If this is Terry I'm going to hunt you down for prank calling me."

Bruce heard a click and then a dial tone. He set the phone back on the receiver.

Dick had picked up the phone and dialed Bruce's number ten times and every time he hung up before the first ring ended. When he finally mustered up enough courage to wait for him to pick up his mouth wouldn't work. Once Bruce accused him of being a prank caller he hung up the phone.

"Come on Dick," he said to himself. "Just get it over with; if you call him and things don't workout you're no worse off."

He dialed the number again. It rang for a while and he almost thought the answering machine would get it when Bruce picked up.

"Hello?"

Dick opened his mouth but the words didn't come.

"What did I tell you Terry?"

"This isn't Terry," he managed to say.

"Oh. Well then who is it?"

"It's…well…"

Bruce waited a moment and then said, "Dick?"

Dick let out his breath. "Yes," he replied.

The tension and shock could be felt through the phone.

"Why did you call?"

"Because I…needed to."

"You needed to call when you first left Gotham and that didn't stop you from not doing it."  
"I know; how's Barbara?"

"She's fine."

"Good."

The awkward silence came once more.

"Bruce," Dick said. "I'm sorry for those things I said, that day that I left."

Bruce didn't respond.

"I guess you weren't the only stubborn one, huh?"

Still Bruce was silent. Dick blinked away a tear that was forming.

"I shouldn't have called. I'm sorry." And with that said and done he hung up.

Terry knocked on Rylana's door the next morning.

"Ry," he said. He checked the knob and found that it was unlocked. He opened the door and peeked in. The room was empty.

"Hey mom," Terry said walking into the living room where his mother and brother were. "Did Rylana go to the hospital?"

"She isn't out of bed yet I thought," Mary replied.

Terry went back to Rylana's room and searched. She wasn't in there. He was about to check the bathroom when something caught his eye. It was an envelope with his name on it. He walked over and picked it up.

Bruce rang the doorbell and waited patiently for someone to answer. When Mrs. McGinnis opened the door he smiled.

"Are Terry and Rylana here?" he asked.

"Terry is, and as far as I know so is Rylana," she said. She stepped aside so that Bruce could enter. "They're probably in the back; I'll go get them."

"That's alright," Bruce said beginning to make his way in the direction Mary indicated. "I think I'll be able to find them."

Mary nodded and sat back down on the couch while Bruce made his way to Rylana's room. The door was open and so he let himself in. He found Terry standing by Rylana's desk reading something.

"Where's Rylana?" he asked.

"She's not here," Terry said his eyes still fixed on the paper.

"Is she with her mom?"

"No."

Terry's voice was quivering slightly and Bruce realized that something was wrong. He went over to the teen and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"What is it Terry?"

Terry handed him the letter.

_Terry,_

_By the time you get this I'll already be gone. Where I'm going, I don't know for sure, but there's something you should know. I know who is behind all of the attacks. It's a man named Jostens. His accomplice, the one that's been doing his dirty work is a man called Reed. See what you can find out about them._

_You may be asking yourself why I'm telling you this in a letter instead of in person. I'm not in Gotham at this time. At least, I may not be. As I told you I haven't the slightest idea where it is that I'm going. I'm with Jake and Alex. I know you're probably thinking I'm cheating on you or something, but I promise that's not the case. _

_This Jostens creep was involved somehow with Jake's transformation into Rush Fury. He's also been trying to get Alex to work for him. They believe that there is something the three of us has that he wants. We don't know what it is, but we're going to find out. _

_Please don't worry about me. I'll be fine._

_Love you always,_

_Rylana_

Bruce looked at terry.

"Come on," he said heading for the door.

"What?" Terry asked.

"We've got to find out about this Jostens guy; and we've got to find out where Rylana is."

Terry followed after the old man his mind racing with doubts of whether or not he'd see Rylana, and his heart reaching for the hope that he would.

Jostens sat in his chair waiting. Jake and Alex were running late and he was beginning to wonder if they had flaked out on him. But as the clock struck noon there was a knock on his door.

"Enter," he said.

The door opened and in walked Jake, Alex, and Rylana. Jostens smiled.

"You caught her," he said standing up. "Good." He walked over and stood in front of Rylana. "Hello Miss. Henderson; Jostens is the name."

Rylana did not reply.

"I suppose you are wondering why it is that I want you," Jostens said returning to his chair. "Actually, you have something that I want."

The three teens looked at each other and then returned their gazes to Jostens.

"You see," he said leaning forward. "I know that the three of you are unique. Nobody else has what you have. It is this thing that sets you apart that I want."

"And what's that?" Rylana asked.

Jostens smiled. "Come with me," he said standing up and leaving the room. The other three followed after him. He led them down so many hallways Rylana almost thought they were lost. They finally reached the door that Rylana assumed he had wanted.

"Now," Jostens said as he unlocked the door. "You three are very special. You have certain gifts that nobody else has." The door opened and he held out his hand. "Ladies first," he said with a smile.

"Then go already," Rylana said coldly. Jostens straightened. He then entered the room with Alex, Jake, and Rylana trailing behind.

The room was large and had some sort of machine with a platform in the center of it. There were controls, lights, and buttons all over. Rylana was beginning to regret letting Alex and Jake take her.

"What's this Jostens?" Alex asked.

"This is my newest invention," Jostens said. "For a time my procedures on human beings was my obsession, but once that was accomplished this became my new focus."

"And exactly what is it?" Jake asked.

"The future Mr. Reynolds." Jostens circled around the machine as he spoke. "With this machine I'll be able to provide a bright new future. It will be a place of no contention. If there is a car accident then the one responsible will speak up. There will be no crime per say in Gotham or anywhere in the world."

"And why is that?" Rylana asked.

"Because I'll make it so. You see this machine will trigger something in the minds of all the earth's inhabitants. It will cause a connection between me and every other person in this world. I will know the gossip they spread, the lies they tell, and the crimes they commit because it will all be within their subconscious, which will in fact be my own subconscious."

"You're going to take over the world by mind control."

"Tisk, tisk, tisk. Such harsh words my dear. I do not view it as taking over the world via mind control, but taking the woes of the world upon my shoulders and by doing so creating a better place."

"You're trying to be a Savior," Alex said. "Sorry, but last I checked that job was already taken."

"Well yes if you're a Christian and believe it to be so. This way I will _make _it so."

"You don't want to help these people you just want power!" Jake exclaimed.

"All you care about is taking care of yourself!" Alex added.

"Is that why you've been trying to get rid of the superheroes?" Rylana asked taking a step towards him. "You want to make sure there isn't anyone around to stop you?"

"Well now, if we have those few superheroes what's to stop them from trying to destroy my perfect world?"

"Because your world _isn't_ perfect Jostens! You've got one tiny flaw."

"Oh? And what might that be?"

"You're taking away people's god given right to think for themselves! You're taking away that agency that came with birth. There can be no perfect society without choice."

Jostens was growing angry and Rylana, Alex, and Jake could see it.

"You're an ignorant and foolish child," he told Rylana.

"Children can tend to be selfish like you Jostens!" she retorted. "So if I, a person who wants to help others and not myself, am a child then what does that make you; the scum of the earth!?"

Jostens walked over to Rylana. The sound of flesh on flesh echoed through the room as the back of Jostens hand made contact with Rylana's cheek. Immediately Alex and Jake were by her side ready to beat Jostens up.

"Leave her alone Jostens," Alex said.

"Or you'll have us to answer to," Jake replied.

"And what can two pathetic boys like you do?"

"You need us to power that machine don't you?" Alex asked.

"Congratulations Sherlock you've solved the case."

"You can't use is to power it if we're dead."

The room went quiet. Rylana and Jake looked at Alex with shocked faces and Jostens face said that he wasn't convinced, although Alex could see the fear in his eyes.

"You wouldn't dare," Jostens said. "You wouldn't kill yourselves or each other."

"Yes we would," Jake said gathering up courage. He would rather die than help Jostens.

"We would," Rylana said standing next to the two boys.

Jostens glared at them. "What do you want?" he asked.

"You keep us out of the mind control," Rylana continued. "And if your little machine works you let us walk out of here alive with no strings attached. You have to give us a week before using the machine."

Alex and Jake couldn't believe what they were hearing. Rylana was actually negotiating with Jostens!

"I'll agree to all of it accept the week," Jostens said. "I'll give you three days, that's it."

Rylana nodded. "Fine," she said.

Jostens then had them escorted to a room where they would be spending the next three days. When they were certain their escort had left Alex and Jake turned on Rylana.

"Are you crazy!?" Alex exclaimed.

"You _want_ to go through with Jostens plan?" Jake asked

"How do you know he won't break his word?"

"How do you know that he won't go through with this whole take over the world and then kill us?"

"Hey!" Rylana said holding up her hands. The boys stopped. "I had to do something. Now, we've only got three days."

"For what?" Jake asked.

"To get help and stop Jostens."

"Like that's going to happen," Alex said.

"Look," Rylana said. "I know Terry; he will do any and everything to find us and stop Jostens."

"He doesn't even know where to look! He doesn't know what Jostens is doing how the heck is he going to stop him!?"

Rylana walked over to the wall and stared at it. "I don't know, but that's the great thing about him. Even when it seems like there's no possible way that things can work out, he makes them work out." She turned around and faced the boys, determination written on her face. "He'll figure something out. I know he will."

Jake sat down on the floor.

"Why does he need _us_ to power that machine? What's so special about us?"

Rylana shook her head. "I don't know."

She sat down on the floor and Alex followed suit.

"There's got to something," Alex said. And then it hit him. "When I got into that fight, the one with the kid that I pushed and he ended up flying into the wall, I felt like all of this strength came out of nowhere. I don't know how I did it, I just did. Then there's the whole fact of at school I was always able to lift the heavy things even thought I didn't workout."

"Yeah," Jake said. "When my mom died, I was somehow able to emit this force." Jake hugged his knees. "That's how the accident happened."

Rylana placed a hand on his shoulder. "It wasn't your fault," she said. "You had a power and you were too young to control it." She hugged her own knees. "That explains you two, but I don't know about me. I've never had any experience like that. I mean, I can see underwater really well, but what's that got to do with anything? Alex has strength, you can emit forces, and I can see underwater? It doesn't make sense."

"Jostens also said that we were unique and that we were all different from anyone else in the world. Superman has super strength, so how does that make Alex different?"

Alex and Rylana shook their heads. "No idea," Rylana said.

"None whatsoever," Alex added.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23: Escape and Divulge**

"I'm afraid there isn't much for us to find about this Jostens character," Bruce said as he closed the final search engine. "The only smudge on his record was a lawsuit because of procedures he performed on animals that progressed to human testing. He lost, surprisingly, paid the money up front in cash, and was never heard from again."

"Until now," Terry said as he paced back and forth.

"You're wearing a hole in the floor McGinnis."

Terry stopped. "Sorry," he said. He leaned against the computer. "I just can't stop thinking about Ry. The last thing I said to her…" He didn't finish.

Bruce looked at him seriously. "Terry, you can't change the past. Let's focus our efforts on Jostens so that you can change what the outcome of all this might be."

A thought came to Terry and he turned to Bruce. "Jake Reynolds said something to one of the nurses about a procedure."

"And?" Bruce asked.

Terry began typing on the computer. Bruce watched the screen with curiosity as information ran across it again. When Terry had found what he was looking for he stood back.

"According to this," Terry said. "Jostens' procedures increased his subjects' speed and strength. There were also additional qualities that the subject chose such as animal traits like the splicers or anything else Jostens had come up with. One of his own creations was…"

"Hypnotic eyes," Bruce finished the sentence.

"Exactly, which means…?"

"Jake knows Jostens."

"Or at least knows _of_him." Terry began pacing once more. "But what does he want with Rylana? More testing for his procedures?"

"In Jostens' file it said that he had perfected the art of those particular procedures; that was one of the main reasons so many people were against it and why he was served with a lawsuit because of it. It's not likely that he wants her for one of _these_ procedures. He's most likely using her for testing, but for _what_ is the thing that we need to find out."

Bruce noted the troubled expression on Terry's face. "We've done enough for today," he said, turning the computer off. Terry looked at him. "Don't worry," Bruce told him. "We'll pick it up again tomorrow."

Terry nodded and grabbed his back pack.

"Are you sure you don't want to spend the night here?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. My mom and Matt will be home late tomorrow night, and besides I promised my mom I would leave the house unattended for too long. There have been some break-ins in the neighborhood recently."

"If you change your mind…"

"I'll let you know. Thanks."

Terry then turned and left the cave.

_THREE HOURS BEFORE…_

"Here he comes," Rylana whispered as the sound of footsteps grew louder. "Get ready."

Jake, Alex, and Rylana had come up with a plan. Every day at noon a guard would bring the prisoners their lunch. Breakfast was served before sun up, and the time for dinner varied. Lunch time was the only set time that was the most probable choice for an escape.

"He's unlocking the door," Ry told the other two.

Due to the location of the teens' prison, the guard had to open the door wide enough to slip a tray of food into the room, rather than using a "doggie door" of sorts to serve them their meals. This gave the three of them an advantage. If the guard was forced to open the door further, without causing too much of a problem, they could easily get out.

The door began to open and just as the guard set down the tray of food on of the wooden crates that Ry and the other two used to sit on smashed against the wall.

"You little punk!" Alex yelled. "I told you to stay away from me!"

"It was you that got us into this mess in the first place Alex! It's always your fault!"

The argument was beginning to take a violent turn and so the guard was obligated to put a stop to it.

"Hey! Knock it off, both of you or I'll be forced to take you both out," he threatened. Just then a second crate came crashing down upon his head. As he fell to the floor unconscious Rylana tossed the pieces of wood that remained in her hand onto the floor.

"That was easy," Jake said.

"A little too easy," Alex commented.

"Just watch your step and keep your eyes open," Rylana said as she stepped over the unconscious guard. She leaned down and grabbed his set of keys and then turned to the boys. "Let's go."

They stepped out into the hall. To their left was a large picture window and to their right the hall continued for about five yards and then turned left. They ran down the hall, taking the turn at the end and found two more guards that had heard the commotion. Rylana jumped up and high kicked one while Alex punched out the other. 

The teens kept on walking, meeting two more guards on the way and taking them down as well. They finally reached a winding staircase and began to descend when they heard not one or even two, but ten, maybe twenty pairs of feet running up the stairs towards them.

"Ready?" Ry asked.

Alex and Jake nodded. When the first of the group came into view the teens charged. The staircase provided them with an advantage, since they were a step or two above their opponents. However, as they reached the bottom steps they saw more guards rushing into the room below. Had the space below not been enclosed they would have had a fighting chance, but under the circumstances, none of them, not even Rylana, could have taken them all on.

"Go back!" Rylana told the other two and they hurried back up the stairs and down the hallway, hoping for a missed door that they could sneak into, or another way out. They soon found themselves back where they started, standing outside their holding room. 

The group that had been pursuing them turned out to be twice as large as they had anticipated, and while Rylana, Alex, and Jake were cornered, it was better than being trapped at the bottom of the staircase. Well, sort of.

The sea of guards began to part and Jostens walked through it towards his captives.

"Tisk, tisk, tisk," he said shaking his head. "I _had_ hoped that you would be more cooperative than this. I guess this means we shall have to activate the machine immediately."

"You won't take us without a fight," Alex said taking a defensive position.

Rylana put a hand on his shoulder and he looked at her. Jake watched her too.

"The window," she whispered.

"We're on the second floor," Jake whispered back. "You really want to jump?"

"I won't—the two of you will."

"No way Ry," Alex said.

"The effects of Jake's procedure haven't completely worn off yet, so he'll make it alright. You've done it hundreds of times and so you'll be fine too. Besides, if one of us stays here then Jostens will have no choice but to hold off on the machine's activation until he finds the other two. If all of us leave he'll move his operation and disappear again. We _have_ to keep someone here if we're going to stop him."

"Are you sure?" Jakes asked. "One of us can stay…"

"I'll be fine. Just do it." She paused and then added. "Find Terry, Terry McGinnis. The place I was staying at is his place. He'll know what to do."

Rylana then turned to face the guards. She waited a moment and then charged, knowing full well she could not beat them, but hoping it would cause enough of a distraction to get Alex and Jake out. 

Alex and Jake stood rooted to the spot watching Rylana anxiously. She saw her two friends and yelled, "GO!"

Freed from their dazes, the two boys ran at the window and jumped through the glass. The fall felt endless and they soon discovered that the place where they had been was along the edges of a cliff over looking the ocean. Luckily their jump was enough to project them far enough into the open space that they didn't hit the rocks below.

When the boys had jumped Rylana stopped fighting, allowing her self to be caught. Jostens and some of his men ran to the broken window. All they could see below were the ripples caused by Alex and Jake hitting the water, and the lightly rolling waves hitting the cliff.

"Stupid children," Jostens spat.

"What do you want us to do sir?" one of the guards asked.

"Search for them."

"Sir?"

"The fall wouldn't have killed them; they're _special_ in that way. I want you to tear the city apart if you have to and find them, before they are able to get any help from the police."

"Yes sir, and the girl?"

Jostens looked back at Rylana.

"Take her to my personal chambers. It shouldn't take you long to find her little friends. Besides, that part of the house has security cameras; I wouldn't want her running off."

Rylana did not like the idea of going to this man's personal chambers. Throw her into a lion's den, a viper pit, either choice would be better. Being taken to a man's "personal chambers" never was a good thing. 

She threw her elbow into the stomach of one of the guards holding her, and thrust the heel of her shoe into the shin of the other. However, before she had a chance to get in anymore hits something hit her in the head and she fell to the floor. Try as she might se could not keep her vision from going black.

About fifty yards away, and two hundred feet below, Alex pulled himself onto the shore. He was breathing heavily trying to recover from the fight with the waves he had just been in. After a minute or two passed he sat up and looked around for Jake. At first he couldn't see any sign of him, and he worried that he hadn't survived the fall. But he soon found him about ten yards down the beach from where he himself had landed on shore.

"Jake!" he called out. His friend didn't respond, or even move. He ran over to him. "Jake," he said again, turning the latter over onto his back.

Jake stirred and opened his eyes. "Ry?" he asked.

"She'll be fine; we've got to hurry if we're going to get a hold of this Terry before anything _does_ happen to her."

Jake nodded and, with Alex's help stood up. The two of them then got a bearing on where they were exactly, and then headed for the apartment complex where Terry lived.

* * *

The elevator dinged and Terry stepped out onto his floor. He was exhausted, even though he hadn't really done any crime fighting that night. Rylana's disappearance and the search for her were weighing on his mind heavily. And even though Bruce had advised him not to, he still couldn't stop thinking about what he'd said. He had left her with the knowledge that he did not believe her, and that he was siding with Bruce on the matter of her mother rather than with her, or even taking a neutral stand on it. 

He sighed and pulled out his keys. He fumbled a little with the lock and then realized that the door was already unlocked. Had he forgotten to lock it before leaving earlier that day? But he could distinctly remember locking it. He slowly pushed the door open, half expecting to find the place trashed, or the thieves responsible for the other burglaries rummaging through his mother's jewelry box. Instead the house was in perfect order and it was completely silent.

Even though everything seemed alright, Terry was still ready to take on anything that might jump out at him. He turned on the living room light and took a fighting stance when he saw two people sitting on the couch. They stood up and turned to look at him. He recognized them immediately.

"Where's Rylana?" he asked, his tone slightly demanding.

"She told us to come and get you," Alex said. "Jostens is holding her prisoner at his mansion outside Gotham."

"And the two of you just happened to get away and leave her behind huh?"

"She told us to," Jake said quietly, holding his arm. Terry noted that his shoulder was out of place.

"What happened," he asked, inclining his head towards Jake's injury.

"We jumped out the second story window of Jostens' house, Ry's idea."

Terry held back a smile. It would be Rylana's idea to risk their lives in an escape attempt.

"Ry told us that once we got out we were to come find you. She said you'd know what to do."

Terry nodded. "I think we should fix your arm first before going anywhere."

"I'm fine," Jake said.

"Stop being noble and let him help Jake," Alex said. "We should at least set your shoulder."

"I agree, but we can't do it here," Terry told them.

"Why is that?"

"Someone is bound to hear him scream, and since the cops are looking for both of you, it would be better not to get found, don't you think?"

"Then where do you suggest we go?" Jake asked.

"I have a friend who is handy with injuries, not to mention I know he won't turn the two of you in."

"Alright," Alex said. "Let's go see this friend of yours and then head out. I don't like the thought of Ry being alone with Jostens."

Terry gave a brief nod and then the three of them snuck out of the apartment, Alex and Terry checking to be sure no one saw them.


End file.
